Online community reactions range from amusement to outrage
IN JULY, just after the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) scandal broke, someone started a blog called “Justice For NKF Donors” (justice4nkfdonors.blogspot.com) detailing key points in the investigation into the management of the charity organisation.
At time of writing, that blog had not yet been updated with reactions to Monday’s release of the external auditor’s report.
But other local bloggers have been quick on the ball — busily documenting their responses to the 400-plus page report.
As blogger Merv (atypicalsingaporean.blogspot.com) put it, this is “better than watching King Kong”.
Read more at TODAYOnline.
Technorati Tags: NKF, singapore, TODAY
Some of the early reactions on the web are as follows:
A www.pink-ist.com entry read: “As a previous staff of NKF way back in 2000, I was somewhat shocked by the findings! … the more I read about the report, the angrier I felt … Never mind I was one of (TT Durai’s) ‘Professional Beggars’. I pity the patients who are under the NKF’s care now. The trust is gone after so many years and it would be difficult to rebuild that kind of trust. Its like a betrayal, ya?”
A sly note on livejournal.com/users/fogster opined: “Wonder whether I should send in a note with the (donation) card saying, ‘Not for buying your Mercedes.’”
Meanwhile, a note on happycitizen.blogspot.com said: “See what horrors transparency brings. Let me urge Singaporeans NEVER EVER let another NKF type revelation happen, it is so painful to know the truth. Stop trying to dig into various institutions to find out what they are doing. Just have trust — trust makes you feel good and sleep well at night.”
Over at ourlifexp.com: “I guess this report is a slap on the face for people who vetted and defended Mr Durai.”
thewormiepage. blogspot.com had this to say: “It seems that not all questions are answered … Everyone is waiting eagerly for a comment from the Ministry of Health.
“The Taxman and CPIB are still looking into the issues. When the dust settles, it is hoped that frameworks are in place to have a better check-and-balance …
“This is important not only for kidney patients but for all those who are dependant on charitable organisations.
“Once the public is convinced that the chances of mismanagement is nil or marked reduced, then donations will start to pour in.”
Said truelymadly.blogspot.com: “Had Durai and the NKF not sued SPH and Ms Susan Long for defamation, these issues may never have come to light, and the state of affairs at the NKF may just have gone on forever … What a bloody disgrace.”
If you want to read more about what netizens are saying, try a Google or technorati.com search on the name “NKF“.
It’s a search keyword I’m sure will rise up the popularity ranks this week.
Mr Miyagi aka Benjamin Lee has been entertaining readers at miyagi.sg for over a year, but you won’t find a single peanut joke on his website.
WIDER LESSONS?
Undergraduate Gabriel, aka “agagooga”, downloaded “all 442 pages” in order to “draw up a National Education lesson plan on “Lessons we can learn from the NKF””, he writes on his blog gssq.blogspot.com.
Lesson 10, for instance, which reflects on KPMG’s comments about the NKF’s audit committee, is that “trusting in the assurances of organisations that they have internal safeguards is not a wise thing. “The scrutiny of organisations working for the public good by the public and independent bodies is essential to ensure that they are fulfilling their stated mission.”
Lesson 12 refers to the founding of the Executive Committee and delegation of powers to Mr Durai: “Making Faustian bargains — surrendering one’s political rights as members of a board of governance in return for an assurance of future prosperity and monetary success — is a recipe for disaster.” Lesson 13 derives from Mr Durai’s role: “Centralising too much power in one person, and raising his significance and importance to such a level that he comes to dominate the organisation, is unhealthy. “One can only imagine how much worse it would be if a personality cult were formed around this key figure.”
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