nkf
i really wondered why mrs goh chok tong would made such a comment with regards to the recent nkf scandal. for the benefit of those who have yet to read about it, here's what she said - quoting from the straits times, wednesday july 13, 2005 -
"why make a fuss out of it?" she asked...
she also added:" i have complete trust in the nkf and mr durai."
asked if mr durai's annual salary and bonuses were "excessive", she replied: "for a person who runs a million-dollar charitable organisation, $600,000 is peanuts as it has a few hundred millions in reserves."
i was quite appalled that the wife of our ex-prime minister would issue such a comment, challenging the sentiments of many singaporeans who had donated to nkf over the years - thinking that they had donated to the good cause of helping to subsidise the costs of medical bills for needy patients. they felt betrayed and cheated.
granted that everybody is entitled to their own opinions on this current issue. however, being a prominent figure in the country and a patron for nkf, one would expect her to voice out the concerns that perhaps nkf had indeed mismanaged the public's funds which were intended for the benefits of patients. the mere name of nkf being a charitable organisation instead of a profit-making company would suggest that the directors on board should be paid as one would in a non-profitable organisation funded by the public; instead of drawing a salary of a ceo in a mnc.
$600,000 might be deemed as peanuts to her as well as to tt durai, but did it occur to her that this $600,000 came directly from the public, many whom would never be able to see $600,000 in their bank account even in a lifetime of hard work and slogging?
did it occur to her that her comment meant that singaporeans should just donate blindly to charities and not be bothered where the money would go to?
did it occur to her that her comment might come across that mismanagement of funds can be forgiven if the non-profitable organisation has a few hundred millions in reserves?
did it occur to her that her comment reflected her views on this issue, in the cloak of responsibilities as one of our country's leaders?
"why make a fuss out of it?" she asked...
she also added:" i have complete trust in the nkf and mr durai."
asked if mr durai's annual salary and bonuses were "excessive", she replied: "for a person who runs a million-dollar charitable organisation, $600,000 is peanuts as it has a few hundred millions in reserves."
i was quite appalled that the wife of our ex-prime minister would issue such a comment, challenging the sentiments of many singaporeans who had donated to nkf over the years - thinking that they had donated to the good cause of helping to subsidise the costs of medical bills for needy patients. they felt betrayed and cheated.
granted that everybody is entitled to their own opinions on this current issue. however, being a prominent figure in the country and a patron for nkf, one would expect her to voice out the concerns that perhaps nkf had indeed mismanaged the public's funds which were intended for the benefits of patients. the mere name of nkf being a charitable organisation instead of a profit-making company would suggest that the directors on board should be paid as one would in a non-profitable organisation funded by the public; instead of drawing a salary of a ceo in a mnc.
$600,000 might be deemed as peanuts to her as well as to tt durai, but did it occur to her that this $600,000 came directly from the public, many whom would never be able to see $600,000 in their bank account even in a lifetime of hard work and slogging?
did it occur to her that her comment meant that singaporeans should just donate blindly to charities and not be bothered where the money would go to?
did it occur to her that her comment might come across that mismanagement of funds can be forgiven if the non-profitable organisation has a few hundred millions in reserves?
did it occur to her that her comment reflected her views on this issue, in the cloak of responsibilities as one of our country's leaders?