Rubénerd :)

Monday 01st December 2008

They listened! DBS no longer supporting FOTF

DBS Bank Singapore Christmas 2008 promotion page accessed this morning

UPDATE: I may have spoken prematurely: they may still be supporting FOTF after all. Bummer. Will be keeping an eye on this.

After no doubt responding to a deluge of complaints from a lion’s share of the Singaporean blogging community, DBS Bank seems to have backtracked on their pledge to automatically donate funds to the ultra-conservative Focus on the Family organisation whenever customers use their DBS credit cards at selected shopping centres this holiday season. If you browse to the exact page I referenced in my first post on the subject, you’ll notice that any references to FOTF have been removed from their Christmas 2008 promotion.

I suspect DBS wanted to show some goodwill, but didn’t realise what dark motives the organisation they decided to support really has. At least that’s what I would like to think.

Regardless though, this is fantastic news and I suspect a real boon for the majority of DBS Bank’s customers. I graciously applaud DBS’s decision and have decided to keep my POSB and DBS accounts. I will advise my family and friends in Singapore that it is safe to use their DBS cards after all.

Xie xie! :)

Categories: internets

Tags: dbs bank, focus on the family, fundamentalism, singapore

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Comments

Jolene says:

2008.12.01 at 21:05

But have they really pulled out or are they just no longer publicising it? The FOTF site continues to mention the offer:

http://family.org.sg/

I love it when people post terse messages without any greetings or whatnot ;-).

It is a valid question though, and to be fair I’m not sure. My father who’s in Singapore right now will be calling them up to confirm this. The fact DBS deleted any reference of that icky organisation from their page lends credence to the argument that they’re ashamed, or that they’re fed up with the complaints. Still, it isn’t as good as a written confirmation. We’ll have to wait and see.

At the very least we’re making progress.
Jolene says:

2008.12.02 at 00:33

Sorry – the Internet has a vast variety of conventions and I’m never sure whether any particular blogger expects an introduction or not. In any case, by way of background, I co-edit Singapore feminist webzine Glass Castle and I’ve also been pushing for DBS not to support FOTF. I’m just not as sanguine about what this development means, at least until we get some clarification from DBS themselves.

Haha don’t worry about it, just a dose of my incredibly dry humour!

I hope to get some clarification soon myself too. I’m just hoping my father and I don’t get the usual PR speak mass produced communications that we (and the rest of the blogging community) received before. I’m not holding my breath though!
Jeremy says:

2008.12.02 at 10:38

Excerpt from Response from DBS

We assure you that it is not the intention of the Bank to discriminate
against any group through the choice of FOTF as our beneficiary.
Nevertheless given feedback received, to demonstrate that DBS believes
in diversity and inclusion, with immediate effect we will be removing
all references to FOTF from the said promotion.

SO cut your card still.

They certainly are using a lot of doublespeak there. Definitely not a good sign. Bummer.

Dedicated to my groovy late mum Debra Schade.

Jolene says:

2008.12.01 at 21:05

But have they really pulled out or are they just no longer publicising it? The FOTF site continues to mention the offer:

http://family.org.sg/

I love it when people post terse messages without any greetings or whatnot ;-).

It is a valid question though, and to be fair I’m not sure. My father who’s in Singapore right now will be calling them up to confirm this. The fact DBS deleted any reference of that icky organisation from their page lends credence to the argument that they’re ashamed, or that they’re fed up with the complaints. Still, it isn’t as good as a written confirmation. We’ll have to wait and see.

At the very least we’re making progress.

2008.12.02 at 00:33

Sorry – the Internet has a vast variety of conventions and I’m never sure whether any particular blogger expects an introduction or not. In any case, by way of background, I co-edit Singapore feminist webzine Glass Castle and I’ve also been pushing for DBS not to support FOTF. I’m just not as sanguine about what this development means, at least until we get some clarification from DBS themselves.

Haha don’t worry about it, just a dose of my incredibly dry humour!

I hope to get some clarification soon myself too. I’m just hoping my father and I don’t get the usual PR speak mass produced communications that we (and the rest of the blogging community) received before. I’m not holding my breath though!

Jeremy says:

2008.12.02 at 10:38

Excerpt from Response from DBS

We assure you that it is not the intention of the Bank to discriminate
against any group through the choice of FOTF as our beneficiary.
Nevertheless given feedback received, to demonstrate that DBS believes
in diversity and inclusion, with immediate effect we will be removing
all references to FOTF from the said promotion.

SO cut your card still.

They certainly are using a lot of doublespeak there. Definitely not a good sign. Bummer.

Monday 01st December 2008

They listened! DBS no longer supporting FOTF

Comments

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