I thank you for spending your time reading my blog and giving me feedback.

I have been asked if it I reckon that it is fair to target Durai and the ex-NKF Board and the matter of what they have done for the patients.

I cannot sincerely say if it was fair or not after the ‘demagoguery’ I have displayed here.

Let me share a few persoanl thoughts:

1) I do not begrudge Durai for his monthly $25,000 pay. Among those who I have discussed the matter with, none of us said it wasn’t justified. But most of us do have a problem with the bonus he is taking, in light of the fact that they are still donor’s money, and there are many who gave in spite of their own circumstances.

Also, I have mentioned to a few friends on several occasions that having raised funds with a surplus to last 30 years at least, it is not an easy feat and his pay is thus well deserved. However, to be objective, one can only say whether this figure is excessive or well deserved by comparing it with his contemporaries, for e.g. the Reverend Ming Yi, or that of the CEO of Singapore Red Cross or the KDF (if they are even called a CEO at all.).

In my considered opinion, it wouldn’t be right to compare his pay to our ministers, nor to a corporate CEO, since the measure of their performance is different, and the nature of activities between a charity, the gover-min and a corporate is vastly different.

2) I do not know what personal touch Durai has put into his contact with the patients being helped by the NKF. But I do have some figures.

In 2003, the NKF raised $100.3 million and incurred expenses of $29.9 million. Thus, its expense ratio was 29.9%. This means that for every $100 that was donated by the public, $29.90 was incurred for expenses and only $70.20 actually made it to the pockets of the beneficiaries. (In comparison, similar organisations like the American Red Cross and Singapore Red Cross have expense ratios ranging from 9.2 to 20.3%.)

Another ratio of concern is the surplus ratio. In 2003, the NKF retained $34.2 million out of the $100.3 million raised. Thus, it had a surplus ratio of 34.1%. (Other similar organisations have a surplus ratio of 1 to 3%; some even suffered a deficit!)

I would say that the NKF has done a good job is sustaining itself, but I cannot (base on the statistics above) say the same about helping the patients. The reason being that the NKF only co-pays a certain amount, and does not pay for the total cost, needed by a patient. In simper words, it appears to me that the means to raise funds has improved greatly, the amount given to help a patient did not increase accordingly.

Durai may have been a ‘Patch Adams’ in his personal capacity to these patients, but unfortunately we are not shown that side of him.

I have heard or read bits here and there about the compassion and kindness of Durai, and it does appear that there are those who can give personal testimonies as to who the real Durai maybe. Unfortunately, I doubt an outpour of appreciation for Durai would be forthcoming in the local published media.

After all, it should be pretty evident to many who has read my blog all these months, to know that I am no fan of (and have no faith in) the local media, published or otherwise.

3) I am not entirely comfortable with having the gover-min coming in to ‘clean house’.

I am surprised that the NKF did not immediately plunge itself into a PR drive to refute all the vilification in the public media but still stepped down a day after Durai and the board said they would not do so.

I just wondered if they really did went willingly because when heavy weights like Vivian Bakayaron-nan and Baka-ji have already made comments about ‘doing the necessary’ to ‘restore confidence’ before Durai and Richard Yong’s announcement to their staff at 4:45pm on July 14th, everyone could see where the wind is blowing.

There is something that is more than meets the eye here, and it is no surprise that there are some conspiracy theories being circulated. None of which I am free to share as I do not like the coffee in the ISD.

The last thing I want to say is this, I do not (and cannot) advice anyone to stop your donation to the NKF. Whether you want to continue your donation is your perogative. Whatever your decision maybe, I appeal to you to first consider the welfare of the patients before you make your decision.