April 18, 2006 - Former chief of the Singapore National Kidney Foundation (NKF) TT Durai has been slapped with two charges of corruption. Story from AFP via Yahoo.


January 5, 2006 - Without a doubt, the scandal at the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) was the biggest story in Singapore last year. Story from Asia Times.

December 22, 2005 - With its "moral compass" out of whack, the Singapore National Kidney Foundation (NKF) had run astray. CEO T. T. Durai as his own "little empire", as an organisation that was "fundamentally flawed". Article from TodayOnLine.com.

Alarm bells were sounded as early as six years ago, but most went unheard. Article from TodayOnLine.com.

Are similar traits found in a US-based foundation or association that has had the same leadership for a long period of time? Hmmmm....

December 20, 2005 - The scandal at Singapore's National Kidney Foundation has triggered unprecedented public anger. The biggest charity in Singapore yesterday attempted to draw a line under a debilitating scandal by releasing an independent report that catalogued the sustained failure of its former senior management. Article from TodayOnLine.com.

While the former management of Singapore's National Kidney Foundation (NKF) has been put under the microscope, one question begs to be answered: Who should have been keeping an eye on the NKF and did not rein it in on time? Article from TodayOnLine.com.

You can read the 442-page report on the National Kidney Foundation Singapore web site.

Related articles from Financial Times and ChannelNewsAsia.

September 16, 2005 - Singapore's largest charity, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), which is under police investigation, said on Friday it was laying off 90 employees to cut costs. Article from The Business Times. (link is no longer available)

August 18, 2005 - Singapore's largest charity, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), has asked the police's white collar crime department to look into "certain matters of grave concern," Channel NewsAsia reports, citing a statement from NKF. (link is no longer available)

Dr. Gordon Ku, chairman of the smaller Kidney Dialysis Foundation, has called for Singapore's three kidney foundations to work together. Story from TodayOnLine. (link is no longer available)

July 20, 2005 - Singapore on Wednesday announced a special audit of the country's largest charity, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). An entire new board of directors was also announced. Story from The Business Times. (link is no longer available)

This scandal came to light after the NKF CEO T. T. Durai sued Singapore's Straits Times newspaper for libel, claiming it had implied the foundation had misused funds when the newspaper reported last year that gold-plated water taps were installed in Durai's bathroom office suite.

The suit backfired badly for the NKF. Singaporeans were outraged by testimony in court that revealed Durai's $25,000 monthly salary and his use of several Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

Durai also revealed in court that the foundation had overstated the number of Singapore's kidney dialysis patients by a thousand, in an apparent effort to get more money for the foundation than it needed.


July 18, 2005 - A total of 10,362 donors have called to cancel their monthly GIRO or credit card donations to the Singapore National Kidney Foundation (NKF) so far, but its 900 staff, who have been enduring the negative backlash in the past week, say they will continue to stay on course. Article from ChannelNewsAsia.com.

After the resignation last week of the CEO and Board of the Singapore National Kidney Foundation (NKF), Mr. Gerard Ee has begun his first day of work as the interim CEO of the Singapore National Kidney Foundation (NKF). Story from ChannelNewsAsia.com.

This article from LittleSpeck.com lays out the possible political impact that the NKF scandal may bring to Singapore.


"Immediate impacts

Firstly, the controversial corporate culture that has crept into Singapore's biggest charity body, including its chief executive's large pay and perks, has come to an end.

It is unlikely that people will accept a high spending culture to take hold of charity again.

Secondly, the rejection of paying mega-wages to charity executives has moved into politics and the civil service, with the same arguments.

Charity and government are about service to people; Singapore is too small and its economy is still weak.

Thirdly, Some smarter charities and GPO's will start looking at their own operations, including salaries and perks of their directors or CEOs - just in case.

Fourthly, people in public service will probably be reminded again to watch their action and words and avoid overly lavish spending. Actually Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong recently appealed to the ruling elite against arrogance, one of the charges levelled on Mr. Durai. There are others like him."


July 16, 2005 - Singapore Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan named Mr. Gerard Ee as the one to take over, and a full independent audit of NKF will be carried out as early as next week. Story from ChannelNewsAsia.com.


July 15, 2005 - In a dramatic end to his 37-year career, T. T. Durai succumbed to public pressure last week, quitting the chief executive officer hotseat at the Singapore National Kidney Foundation (NKF), along with its entire board of directors. Story from TodayOnLine.com. (link is no longer available)

July 13, 2005 - Mr. T.T. Durai, CEO of the Singapore National Kidney Foundation (NKF), was shaken after his court appearance in the defamantion suit that the NKF had filed against a newspaper for reporting that gold taps had been installed in his office bathroom. Story from The Electric. (link is no longer available)

The court proceedings revealed his $25,000 monthly salary (a closely-guarded secret until now), which shocked many. (The Electric) In a rare display of public vandalism, a wall outside the NKF builiding was spray painted with the word "liar". Dialysis patients are asking the public to continue dontating to the NKF. (link is no longer available)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Leigh,