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Thursday, July 14, 2005


Jul 14 2005 --- NKF = Needing Kind Fools


With the NKF issue brewing these past few days it wasnt easy at work too since the discussions were strong and although it didnt hit my organisation direct but i guess it will be implicated sooner or later ... had a look at channelnewsasia forum and ya ... some general issues of supports all point to Durai's contribution and yes ... i extracted one particular post that i personally replied in the forum ...


[QUOTE FROM lady_gerl]
please everyone, imgaine. if today, not for Mr TT Durai....what is it left for the kidney patients, and now the unfortuante children and the cancer patients? Cheating?! i'll just say that many do not know the truth. Nothing is perfect, so is NKF so is Mr TT Durai, but they're all striving to work towards it. Mr Durai worked harder than any CEO in singapore, and this is what he gets?

All he does is to pay from his own pocket money to take a first class flight.....does his hard work and good karma not worth a first class flight. After so much work,saving so many lives, so little sleep, so much stress, he's still not worth? If not for Mr TT Durai, many could have died after being diagnose from Kidney failure, it is life we're talking about. And this is what he does, still he's not worth $25K?! Then something must be wrong with ur head!

After working for 37 yrs, who on earth would want to jeopardise this reputuation?! Yet, Mr TT Durai is willing to step out to sue the mighty Straits times. I wont agree to what many says on the street....like what i heard in the MRT, I'll think its pure ignorance, as they do not know the truth. But to Mr Durai, it doesnt matter to him. All he thinks is as long as he is doing things which brings good karma, which is saving lives, that will do.

Imagine......$25K....half the juniors doctors in TTSH and SGH are earning more, but saving lesser lives.....how do we compare this way? DO we condemn the doctors? or do we worship Mr Durai?? I take the latter. Mr Durai himself knows that every cent that is donated from anyone, is precious and important to NKF, as it helps to save each and every patient. I know some might be saying that it goes into his pocket. Hey come on, if it really does happens, how can NKF be a brand name so well known in singapore and other parts of Asia?

Please ppl, think twice before putting colour judgement into the picture, you might not even know, in your whole life your good karma might not even be compare to Mr Durai's 10 years good karma
[QUOTE]



[MY REPLY>>>]
First point ... maybe Durai is worth $25k or maybe even $50K but the crux of this issue isnt just about the monthly salary amount. Imagine a board of directors approving a 10-12 bonus for a charitable organisation ... it juz doesnt seems appropiate to even hear about it. Yes, he may not be paid as highly as those famous MNCs but you have to bear in mind that the NKF is non-profit organisation. How can we tag it and compare against profit oriented organisations? Bottomline ... 10-12 months bonus is excessive despite the amount of monthly pay. It makes one wonder if lower management workers get say .. 6months bonus ??


Second point ... I dont agree that that is any talk about Mr Durai being 'brave' to sue mighty SPH ... it was more of a no choice situation where he was desperately trying to weld off talks of his salary ... first class flights ... golden tap etc ... seems more to me that he was 'betting' on SPH to back off on possible legal action ... which i guess backfired ... ended up it was Mr Durai who doesnt have a valid case and had to drop charges. If he is made to drop charges and answer 'Yes' to the defense's questions, i would have say that the verdict would have been in favour of SPH should the trial had carried on.


Third ... Mr Durai is in the organisation to administer the use of public funds and direct them to needy people and I would have to agree that he indeed put in effort and did a great job in discharging his duties. At least, prior to the revelation of his perks etc, almost everyone held him in high esteem. But before we talk about his karma or the karma he accumulate in 10years being more than what an average person can accumulate in a lifetime, maybe we should talk a walk and trace the roots. It is the DONORS who donated money to NKF and Durai administer the funds. The public supply the funds and he delivers. Please do not make it sound as if those millions of dollars was donated by him for God sake. If you were to ask me, I will say the DONORS are the ones getting karma accumulated. Unfair to say so ?? I don't think so. Afterall, he is PAID to do the job isnt it ?? Imagine getting paid 600K annually and on top of that he can get good karma ... maybe karma is part of his bonus too in that sense?? I reiterate ... karma are those who donate ... not administer ... maybe if Durai does it voluntarily then yes ... I think he is accumulating good karma.


Fourth ... I recall reading in the news report on how he was asked on the car benefits which is semi personal to him. The fact that his family is using it while NKF is paying is already disturbing ... Durai seems to avoid answering the questions directly and instead harp on the fact that the car is ALSO used for business purposes (fetching VIPs). It makes me wonder if he 'dare' to disclose the frequency? If out of 365days, 360days is for personal and 5days for business, I seriously wont call it semi personal ... especially since his wife and child gets to drive it too ...


Fifth ... It is indeed very hard for me to convince myself that Durai is a good leader for NKF ... I just imagine Durai having the audacity to commence legal proceedings for defamation and ends up admitting that the 'allegations' were valid and the news report was valid and I get pissed off on the spot. Doesnt such actions reflect something on his character?? Doesnt it show that he was keeping his fingers crossed and hope that he will 'survive' the ordeal??


I understand concerns that patients should not become victims of the management misrepresentation to the public but I dont think that it will be a major concern in the short term on the basis that NKF reserves can last for many years on calculation. If NKF were to highlight that they will have problems if donations were to stop flowing in now, I guess it will simply be heading for condemnation straight.


I watched the 3rd part of the NKF Cancer Show just now and well. as expected, it was toned down. Not much or rather no call for appeals were made by hosts ... no figures were shown ... the donation hotline numbers werent flashed ... was it a Channel U glitche ?? Think it is quite obvious to all isnt it ?


Last note ... I personally have just cancelled my monthly pledge made to NKF since 1997 yesterday and helped colleague of mine to terminate also ... yes ... I know my contribution of a mere few dollars may seem insignificant and I would rather now divert the money for a better cause. Or maybe if Mrs Goh Chok Tong will consider throwing a few 'peanuts' at me then I will immediately resume my pledge. I am glad that those who should step down have stepped down ... those who should relinquished have also done so. I look forward to a fresh and transparent start for NKF to restore public trust.
[REPLY]


I vowed not to stand by NKF ... seriously ... i wun ... and maybe some may say i will get retribution and end up with kidney problems myself ... by all means go ahead ... if i dare to comment on karma ... i dare to accept what may come ... i believe in the saying that "as people are doing, God is watching" ... what is meant to be .... will be ...


KeL speaks @9:45 PM                                    _`天注定`_