- National Kidney Foundation Singapore
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The National Kidney Foundation Singapore (NKFS) is a Singapore-based foundation running kidney dialysis and prevention programmes. It is fully supported by charity donations.
Contents
Beginnings
NKFS was established in 1969 by Dr Khoo Oon Teik, a nephrologist, and a group of individuals successfully established Singapore's first dialysis unit at the Singapore General Hospital. The late Yusof bin Ishak, the first President of Singapore and Patron of the Foundation, officially inaugurated the NKFS in Singapore on April 7, the World Health Day.
Current management
On 15 July 2005, Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan named Gerard Ee as the interim chairman and acting CEO of NKFS.
On 20 July 2005, the new board was announced. Gerard Ee remains as Chairman ; the other members of the board are:
- Koh Cher Siang, Deputy Chairman
- Gan Seow Aan
- Philip Jeyaretnam
- Ng Boon Yew
- Peter Seah
- Ernest Wong
- Professor Woo Keng Thye
- Associate Professor Mak Yuen Teen
- Chay Yee Meng
On 15 May 2006, NKF introduced its new full-time CEO, Eunice Tay.[1]
On 17 November 2009, NKF reported a deficit of $900,000 mainly due to a dip in donations and investment income. Donations dipped by 26% to $18.5million and investment income dipped by 97% to $80,000 from $3million in the previous fiscal year, with a current reserve of $270million.[2]
Scandal
Main article: National Kidney Foundation Singapore scandalIn July 2005, a scandal involving the charity broke out following the collapse of a defamation trial which it brought against Susan Long and Singapore Press Holdings (SPH). This caused a massive backlash and fallout of donors to the charity, and subsequently resulted in the resignation of Chief Executive Officer T.T Durai and its board of directors.
Allegations surrounding the scandal included the false declarations on how long NKF's reserves could last, its number of patients, installation of a golden tap in Durai's private office suite, his salary, use of company cars and first-class air travel. Former NKF patron Tan Choo Leng, wife of Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, sparked further outrage when she remarked that T.T Durai's pay of "S$600,000 a year is peanuts". [3]
President of the National Council of Social Services, Gerard Ee, has since been appointed as interim chairman of the organisation. A full independent audit on its finances was conducted by KPMG, and a 442-page report released on 19 December 2005 revealed several malpractices by the former NKF board and management. This led to an investigations into the affairs of the charity by the Commercial Affairs Department of the Singapore Police Force. On 17 April 2006, Durai was arrested and charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau.
References
- ^ Press release, NKF introduces its new full-time CEO, 15 May 2006. Accessed 5 January 2007.
- ^ NKF S$900,000 in the red - its first deficit in 10 years [1]
- ^ Wong, SY (2005-07-16). "Ex-NKF patron Mrs Goh Chok Tong regrets remarks about TT Durai's pay: SM Goh" (in English). Channel News Asia. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/157556/1/.html.
External links
- Official website of NKFS
- NKF - Marketing Powerhouse Gone Wrong
- Ministerial Statement by Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan in the Parliament of Singapore
- Spore's NKF asks CAD help in probe into "matters of grave concern" - channelnewsasia
Categories:- Non-profit organisations based in Singapore
- Singaporean voluntary welfare organisations
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