Thursday, December 22, 2005

How to do a charity show

What do you do if you need ideas to do a charity show? Scratch your head? Nah. Just fly to Las Vegas. That's what the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) did. It sent a team of six including its CEO TT Durai to Las Vegas on a S$70,000 "study trip". This is just one of the many shocking findings in KPMG's 300-plus page report on suspect practices by the NKF. From Channel News Asia:
Facts and Figures

• In 1995: TT Durai's pay was increased from $12,000 to $18,000. The promotion was back-dated six months, so he received another $36,000. Durai also received a $30,000 bonus "top-up" based on the revised salary.

• In 1997: Durai was offered a salary of $30,000 a month but he chose to accept only $25,000, a $7,000 increase over his previous wage. The increment was backdated 11 months, amounting to an extra $77,000.

• Sept 1997 - Oct 2003: Durai claimed overtime pay amounted to $187,000

• May 1995 - Nov 2003: Durai encashed his leave entitlement which brought in another $350,000.

• In 2004: Durai chalked up an average bill of $32,952 per month on his corporate credit card.

• In 2004: $70,000 spent on "study trip" to Las Vegas for six of NKF's staff, including Durai, to get fresh ideas on doing charity shows

• In 2004: $430,000 spent on movie and concert tickets to be given free to "nurture" donors

• Staff recevied pay increments as many as four times a year. Former director Matilda Chua's salary rose from $1,300 to $12,500 over nine years.

• Staff were given exit payments of up to 10 months' salary.

• In 2004: NKF made profits of $993,677 from drug sales. Although the NKF claimed it helped its patients save over $3.5 million in treatment costs, it had charged its patients a premium for certain discounted drugs, instead of passing the savings on to them.

• Feb 2004 - May 2005: $322,000 spent on travel, mostly first class for Durai and his former board and senior volunteers
TT Durai is a bad man, most of you would say. Hey wait a minute. He did turn down a salary of $30,000 a month to accept only $25,000. Awwww. Ain't that a nice gesture.

Here's the link to download KPMG's report in PDF and here's the link to get yourself a gold tap.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

wa lao...$70,000 to go to las vegas leh..i shld have join NKF last time

Anonymous said...

>In 2004: Durai chalked up an average bill of $32,952 per month on his corporate credit card.

He went Karaoke and get girls isit?

Anonymous said...

Haha!!! The link to the gold taps.

Anonymous said...

IZ Reloaded on a new blog. No wonder I couldn't find it for the past few days. Welcome back.

Anonymous said...

I wish my company last time cld pay 70k on a study trip.

Anonymous said...

i dont think tt durai should be the only one to blame. get all those top level management and board too.

Anonymous said...

They must have spent the 70k on first class flights, 5 star hotel..

hmmmm what else...

expensive food and drinks...

and some gambling? U wouldnt go to Las Vegas and not gamble.

Good life they had.

Anonymous said...

Study trip my ass!

Merv said...

"What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas"

maybe durai and gang really thought that way.

Nobody said...

Look at the broader picture.

Sad that TT became the fall guy, though he deserved it!

Many others are quick to distance themselves from the saga...

Anonymous said...

Come on guys, if we were in his position back then, we would be enjoying all the perks too. VEGAS!!!

Anonymous said...

The gahmen has to take most of the blame because they did not make it compulsary for the charities to be transparent to the donors.

Anonymous said...

Those people should be shot!

Anonymous said...

shoot them is too easy a punishment. they should donate their kidneys.

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