已经结束了吗 by 张信哲

NKF CEO and board quit
Interim chairman expected by weekend and a new board to be constituted quickly

By Bertha Henson
July 15, 2005

THEIR faces grim, National Kidney Foundation chief T.T. Durai and board chairman Richard Yong emerged from the Health Ministry building at 3.30pm yesterday.

They were hustled into cars, declining to say what had transpired during their meeting earlier with Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan.

This was what happened.


They had gone to consult Mr Khaw on what they should do in the wake of public outrage over the way the NKF rewarded its chief and misled people into thinking it needed more money.

They were told 'the status quo would not do'.

They asked if the board should make way for new leaders. Mr Khaw's reply: 'That would certainly be very helpful.' That phrase marked the end of a 37-year association between Mr Durai and Singapore's largest charity.

At 6.30pm, Mr Khaw announced the resignation of Mr Durai and the entire NKF board at a press conference attended by Mr Durai, Mr Yong and NKF board vice-chairman Alwyn Lim.

Asked about his future, the NKF CEO of 13 years told reporters that his 'paramount interest' now was to help Mr Khaw in the transition stage.

Businessman Piragasam Singaravelu, 45, whom the NKF sued for libel in December 1998, described the en masse resignation last night as the 'best news for Singaporeans, especially those who donated to NKF'.

Right up to yesterday morning, it had looked as though Mr Durai, 57, intended to ride out the controversy that began with NKF's lawsuit against The Straits Times over expensive toilet fittings - and ended with disclosures it had paid its CEO $1.8 million over three years, allowed him first class air travel and maintained his private car.

Calls for Mr Durai's resignation escalated with close to 40,000 signatures put on an online petition, and more than 6,800 donors cancelling their monthly contributions to the charity in two days.

The NKF Cancer Show on Channel U last night made no attempt to solicit donations from the viewing public, in line with the suspension of canvassing activities.

Mr Khaw hopes to find an interim chairman by the weekend and get a board constituted quickly to review NKF's practices, serve kidney patients and restore public confidence in the institution.

Among the board's tasks: To determine if the NKF reserves, now standing at $260 million, would last 40 years as in the 'rosy picture' painted in the media, or the NKF's 'tragic' three years.

Despite the 'unfortunate turn of events', Mr Khaw issued the reminder that the NKF had done much good over the years, with Singapore's dialysis care among the best in the world.

The NKF had transformed itself into such an effective fund-raiser that it was he who had asked Mr Durai to branch into serving cancer patients as well, he disclosed.

Although some might argue that 'some of the techniques may be a little bit outside OB markers', he said he was in favour of more 'NKFs' with professionals running their fund-raising operations.

With one big caveat.

Because the 'stakeholders' are donors, they need to know as much as possible about the finances and practices of those out for the charity dollar.

'As I always maintain, donation is voluntary. So it is self-regulating in that sense because if you are so opaque, secretive or whatever, who would donate to you? But the more transparent you are, I think you win greater public trust,' he said.

The larger issue, however, is whether Singaporeans are ready for charities to be run like corporations with key performance indicators and employment contracts.

He asked: 'Should VWOs be uncontroversial and remain amateurish, old-style, collect little... or is there not a place in Singapore for a different kind of VWO?'

But what was clear: he himself would continue donating to the NKF because patients would benefit. The question of whether too much money had been collected could always be settled by channelling the money to other causes.

He made a plea to the public not to delve into 'history', but to restore the NKF by building on its strengths. 'I am determined to help... NKF... emerge from this incident even stronger so that patients continue to be served.'

Last night's announcement of an interim committee replacing the current board was welcomed all round. Those contacted want the committee to go through NKF books with 'a fine-tooth comb', as insurance adviser Robert Young, 53, put it.

Said Mr Brandon Lee, 33, a businessman: 'We also want the Government to put in measures to make sure such things don't happen again.'

Mr Johari Marzuki, 46, father of four and an NKF patient for 15 years has only one item on his wish list: 'I hope people don't react emotionally and cancel their donations. There are so many lives that depend on it.'

Extracted from The Straits Times

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End of the saga?