NKF-that can of worms has already been opened!

last SG · 2005-07-12T23:24:59+00:00

Tuesday August 8, 12:17 PM Four third party defendants downplay individual roles in NKF The blame game continues in the S$12 million National Kidney Founda...

LinYu SG

and you think you can still trust these blood suckers again?

Twisted Evil

yappiegummie SG

How high is high ? Look at the pay package our PM is having and compare it with the package that America president is getting.
I strongly disagree with paying 'Public Servant' high package. Those that choose to work as public servant should be someone that is willing to 'give' and not take.

yappiegummie SG

No lah ! Just want him to make sure that the toilet bowl is functional and the golden tap is not being stolen. Mr. Green

thinkloud2004 SG

I think the most honourable thing for him to do now is to commit suicide and donate all his organs. He can keep his heart though - quite black I believe. Mr. Green

oxford mushroom SG

I didn't realize the warning signs were everywhere since 2 years ago. Why didn't they take action earlier? Khaw Boon Wan said they were able to give creible explanations earlier....how credible were they?

Why was foundation's IPC status restored?

I REFER to KPMG's report on the National Kidney Foundation (NKF).

On Dec 31, 2001, the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) revoked NKF's Institution of Public Character (IPC) status, which meant that the NKF could not issue tax-exemption receipts to donors.

But less than a month later, in January 2002, the Health Ministry restored NKF's IPC status, administered by the Ministry of Health Endowment Fund, despite the NCSS having informed the ministry of its observations of NKF.

Why was the above not disclosed, such that it was never reported in the media?

Is not the termination of IPC status of Singapore's largest charity - by amount of donations - a matter of interest and grave concern to the public?

Later, the ministry even asked NKF to raise funds for non-kidney related causes, such as cancer, sending the NKF fund-raising machinery into overdrive.

While all these 'red flags' about NKF were kept away from the public eye, questions were being asked in letters to various newspapers as far back as three years ago:

'Tell us how donations to NKF are spent' (Streats; April 16, 2003).

'NKF's top 3 should reveal pay' (Streats; April 12, 2004).

'A discrepancy in charity fund-raising' (The Business Times; May 13, 2003).

'Stop profiting from charity' (The Business Times; Oct 29, 2002).

'Dump lucky draw or cut donation tax' (ST; Sept 10, 2002).

These issues were raised periodically over the years. Why was nothing done?

Even those who were not privy then to information revealed in the KPMG report would surely be occasional readers of the forum pages.

An NKF press statement on its website states that 'while some bodies have the power to initiate an investigation into the management of a charity, none did so in the case of the NKF, in the absence of formal complaint'.

If termination of IPC status is deemed not to be a 'formal complaint', what would qualify as one?

Leong Sze Hian

(Straits Times Online Forum Page, Dec 21, 2005)

dragg SG

extracted from ST forum.

Dissolve NKF and transfer its assets to charity doing similar work

The costs and resources required to restore public confidence in the 'new' National Kidney Foundation (NKF) might be put to better use caring for more patients, as trust once betrayed, is difficult to restore in the short- and even mid term.

It is now revealed that only 10 cents out of every donated dollar went towards the direct treatment of patients, which was the cause NKF was supposed to champion. This has decreased public confidence and trust even more.

Using the wisdom of the computer industry, in which an entire motherboard is replaced instead of repairing a defective chip, Mr Gerard Ee and his team might want to consider dissolving the NKF completely and transferring its assets to another charity doing similar work, such as the Kidney Dialysis Foundation.

In this way, duplication can be reduced and the public will find it easier to forget about the NKF episode.

Francis Zhan

dragg SG

extracted from ST forum.

Query on S'pore Heart Foundation figures

THERE was talk in my office recently about two charities holding charity shows - again. The first was by Singapore Heart Foundation on Dec 18, to be followed by Renci Hospital, sometime next month.

As usual, the charity shows will feature patients who are unable to pay their medical bills and their daily living expenses.

As a donor, I am fine with these tactics as long as my donations really go towards helping the patients.

Out of curiosity, I did some research on both charities to evaluate their efficiency in terms of charitable work.

These are the figures lifted from the Singapore Heart Foundation website for 2004:

$297,800 spent on charitable expenses.

$959,800 spent on fund-raising and publicity.

$1,712,000 spent on administration and operation expenses.

I was surprised that fund-raising expenses exceeded its charitable expenses by more than 200 per cent. Operating expenses were a whooping $1.7 million.

Furthermore, my understanding is that welfare aid and public-education expenditure are classified under charitable expenses. Therefore, I would expect much less was given as welfare aid to needy heart patients.

I checked the accounts of other charities - Renci, Breast Cancer Foundation and Singapore Cancer Society and found that the Singapore Heart Foundation was worlds apart from the rest.

Could the National Council of Social Service look into the discrepancy?

Jason Tan Chi Kong

macjoe SG

What this NKF scandal unveiled:

- it is not wise to pay top people high pay and benefits.

- when you do so, they start paying themselves more pay and benefits.

- such people are the selfish type who make sure they are there to "take" from the organisation/people than the selfless type who make sure they are there to "give" their service to the organisation/people.

- organisations (like NKF) run by the highly-paid selfish type have many collusions, cover-ups and abuse of power.

- organisations (like KDF) run by the under-paid selfless type don't have collusions, cover-ups and abuse of power.

- organisations like KDF should not be deprived of donations.

- organisations like NKF should be deprived of donations.

Idea

Archie_boy SG

Wah, not a badidea, I like it. But perhaps no one would want his organs bcos he is rotten to the core... Laughing

av98m SG

They should put on a new NKF show and make him perform every single stunt the TCS artistes had to perform over the years. Razz

LinYu SG

Maybe Koh Boon Wan will one to wait until more people complain or that Jason Tan Chi kong can show proof before MOH take action again or the NCSS informed the Comissioner of Charities before more concrete action is taken to investigate.
Twisted Evil

yjtang71 SG

NKF need not change its name... It's still National Kidney Failure

thinkloud2004 SG

"With the former NKF board and CEO having resigned, the auditors were able
to go through every file and read every email, without people looking over
their shoulders or obstructing their way," said Mr Khaw.

Sounds rational enough. However Mr Khaw forget to mention that the patron has also resigned. Wink

yjtang71 SG

Why didnt anyone commend SPH for opening that cans of worms? I think for once, our national papers should be commended for exposing all these or we peasants would still be continuing donating peanuts and wondering when will it be one day become Potong Kachang Ice Cream.... Confused

robertteh SG

I agree with your view that it is not the pay or bonuses we give to our leaders or managers that will ensure success as drummed down on citizens by our leaders.

The most important criteria of good leaders are:

(1) Integrity.
(2) Passion.
(3) Sense of Transparency and Accountability and Objectivity.

The many years of promoting the academic meritocracy have obviously failed to produce the best leadership needed to upgrade our society.

The System of recruitments and promoting scholastic attainment practised by Public Service Commission needs a thorough overhaul.

Without major change to our leadership system, and values, our people will be short-changed as is seen happening in NKF and more and the economy and culture will grow weaker and we will eventually go downhill.

macjoe SG

I would think that clients of PwC look over the auditor's shoulders and make sure that the auditors don't uncover any dirt.

Idea

dragg SG

funny why they did not remove the incriminating documents before their departure.

fudgester SG

Removing all the incriminating documents would involve destroying massive amounts of paperwork and computer files to avoid detection. Remember, the KPMG auditors were really thorough in their auditing. They went so far as to retrieve deleted computer files from the hard disks of many computers.

Even if the documents had been destroyed, the obvious large gaping hole in the records and paperwork ought to be pretty suspicious in itself.

chiobu_seeker SG

support KDF, boycott NKF

BillyBong SG

What makes you think they did not? Given the interviews with the financial head who claimed his 'harddisk crashed' (convenient too), who's to say that they did not remove all the incriminating evidence and emails before leaving.

Remember that there was a lead time before KPMG was brought in to perform an independent audit. During that time, it would be a simple matter to shred hard copies, perform harddisks wipe-outs etc

Given the cautious but direct response from KPMG, there is some insinuation that the information they obtained may have been incomplete.

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