From the self-depreciating Neelia,
Right. I am not going to say that $600K is peanuts.. But at the request of dear Zueig, I present my side of the story.. or rather my pt of view. Don't slam me.
They need someone of calibre, of vision to head an organization like the NKF. It is a large organization no doubt. You can't take a cut from his salary, saying he doesn't deserve to be remunerated that much becoz it is a NON-profit organization. In that case, who wld actually work for these orgs? If you are saying those volunteers who spend their free time looking after the needy but get paid nothing, these volunteers have a full time day job to keep them alive. Durai's full time day job is heading the NKF. If he doesn't get remunerated here, he wldn't take on the job. I don't think many wld. We learn in economic theory that men are realists, rational pple. Getting paid $60K per mth (including bonus) is just a reflection of market mechanism. If you don't remunerate them enough, who will head the NKF? and I mean one of calibre....
That said, doesn't mean I condone what durai as done. Yes, first class flights and gold plated taps are bordering on overindulgence. But, I think the remuneration is fair. It just shld be disclosed.. so the public knows where their funds are headed and decide if they still want to donate.
That said, I am disappointed that many singaporeans have withdrawn their donations becos of the incident. Think it was common knowledge that the NKF is very cash rich, just that the tangible facts didn't come to light until recently. But pple withdrawing their funds, one after another, seemed to me, an emotional reaction of the poor man on the street vs the rich. The beneficiaries still need help. Withdrawing your funds wld only deprive the poor and needy of the little support they get from the NKF.
So let's go over what was said.
I agree that there is a need for someone with vision, drive and ability to lead. However, the caveat being that this is a publicly funded charity, people would EXPECT most (if not all) the money they donate to go to the needy, NOT the upper management. So 25K per month with a 12 month bonus with the perks (1st class travel, gold-plated bathroom fixtures) is GROSS indulgence on the part of the CEO. And on the perks, I would dare say is gross misuse of public trust. Surely the water won't turn into acid because it reacts with stainless steel taps? And business class, first class, it's still the same plane, if it crashes, you still die.
No wonder they wanted to keep their pay secret. Why would the public donate (and essential fund) an organisation that puts earning money above helping the people the money is supposed to go to? I can't remember where I read it, but I read that something like $0.10+ for every dollar donated goes to actually helping the patients. The rest, I guess, goes to ensuring the upper management gets "fair" recompense. It's a Brilliant rack, you have only overhead and minimal amout of wages to worry about. Half of the people doing the grunt work are volunteers who work for free, so even MORE money can go into your pocket. Wow.
You mentioned that 60K per year is fair value for someone in that position. I would agree if it's a private for-profit company. However, it seems like in order to get the 60K per, certain very questionable practices were engaged. 12 month bonus? OMG. That's just greedy. Just as it is greedy to keep asking for donations (and blatantly lying to the public) when they already have 200+ million in reserves which can last another THIRTY years!! Looks like the Board had forgotten that NKF is a NON-Profit organisation.
I didn't know that NKF was THAT rich. And maybe it's because I'm not back home often, but I don't think that kind of information is splashed across the headlines of the news. i think it's fair that people withdraw, because what's the point in donating to an organisation that, without further donations, can last another 30 years (bearing major catastrophes)? Also, if I were to feel like donating, I would rather give to the Kidney Dialysis Foundation or Red Cross(links are given in the previous post). The NKF is playing the "Oh pity the poor patients" card when they are sitting on a veritable treasure trove of (morally questionably acquired) money. The NKF doesn't deserve any sympathy. It got itself into this trouble, it can get itself out of it (with that nice 200+ million it has).
Besides, even IF you donated to the NKF, there's no guarentee that (with the current practices) most of your money will ever reach the patients. I read somewhere that only less than $0.20 per dollar donated ever gets to the patients. At that rate, I'd rather toss the money to hobos on the street. They get a greater rate of return on my money.
See? No harsh words. I didn't even say F*CK once.
FUCK NKF. Okie, now I have.
P.S - C'mon, lets hear what you have to say. Surely Neelia isn't the only one from Singapore who actually has an opinion? Don't let people say we are an apathetic nation!!
P.P.S - Weird sounding phrases:
Talking about mosquitoes
"Sucks to be well, sucked"
Talking about Photoshop-ping pictures
"NO WAY am I letting u deface, my erm face"
