NKF???

NKF, NKF, NKF... These words just keep ringing in my mind...

Perhaps most of you have read enough articles related to NKF to be really convinced that enough is enough, the system is wrong somewhere... So what can we do next?

Some people might argue that $600,000 is peanut for a CEO, but to many of us who are earning real "peanuts", $600,000 is just too big a nut for a (NPO) Non-Profit Organization who claims to HELP the poor for kidney dialysis... So which is more important? To hire a multi-million dollar CEO to manage that already "cash-savvy" fund which can sustain the institution for the next 30 years in how to spend more "extravagantly" or a kind hearted leader who just foucs on the next suffering victim and careful on every cent he and everyone in the institution spend?

Bonus of 12 month a peanut too? To a NPO, how did they manage to work out such a good bonus? Is managing few thousands patient every year with 996 staff (as of 2003 from Financial Statement published in NKFS website) a very impressive achievement? For this, the CEO can command the the kind of salary and bonus we mentioned above with corporate CEOs in the private sectors? I hope the other CEOs can swallow this well...

Come to think of it, poor TT Durai should be sympathised... He has even claimed it, whatever he takes and whatever entitlements provided is approved by the board. So why should we make things difficult for him? If what he said is true, then as the public providing the funding to the institution, isn't we right to be asking for TRANSPARENCY of the way the institute spend so that we are able to analysis if this institution uphold its vision: "To be a world-class, not for profit healthcare institution committed to saving and transforming lives." which is the primary reason why we donate in the first place.

Things to note during consideration:

1. Must the board or the CEO of such institution have the same vision of the company? If so, are they prepared to humble themselves to accept the kind of benefits/salary thats sufficient and not trying to match the world's view?
(As of the Financial Statement published in their website, the 2003 Total Employee Cost is $27,125,000 for 996 employees = $2,269.49 per average employee. So Mr TT Durai is earning more than 10 times of the average employee, what about the rest of the board? How dare he claim that his salary to be compared with the private sectors...)

2. Does been a world-class institute means everyone in the institute should enjoy "world-class" salary, benefits and treatment?

3. Should the publicity focus on how much lifes are saves and how much poor people have benefitted rather than on how much $$$ been raised each year, been a leading social entrepreneurship for many years, how much celebrities participating in charity shows and how many cars or condos to give away each year...

4. So already having enough reserves for the next 30 years, what's next? Making it 50 years or 100 years? Or consider fully subsidising those patients who really have problem affording the dialysis?