Former NKF Patron did not know of Durai's salary until court case

For years the NKF and its Board have readily accepted that Mrs Goh Chok Tong was a part of the NKF Board. Did she resign when the "Board" resigned?

But it seems that when things turn ugly, the PAP and its cronies are anxious to distance themselves from their fallen angel. In an about turn Mrs Goh who once stated that Durai's SGD600,000 annual salary was PEANUTS, is now claiming that (drum roll please);

a) She was never part of the Board; and

b) She had no knowledge of Durai's salary and did not approve it at all.

No say about pay: Mrs Goh
IN RESPONSE to media queries on former NKF chairman Mr Richard Yong's statement in KPMG's report that Mrs Goh Chok Tong, as former Patron of NKF, had "known and endorsed" the salary of former CEO, Mr T T Durai, Mrs Goh made the following clarification:

"The statement is incorrect. I only learnt how much Mr Durai was paid when his salary was made public during the court hearing of his defamation suit against SPH in July this year. I was not a member of the NKF Board or its Executive Committee. As Patron, I had no authority to endorse the salary paid to Mr Durai."

SINGAPORE : Former National Kidney Foundation patron Mrs Goh Chok Tong has clarified a statement by ex-NKF chairman Richard Yong relating to former CEO TT Durai's salary in the KPMG report.

"There was no intention whatsoever to improperly or inappropriately compensate the CEO," Mr Yong said in the report.

He added that the CEO's salary was based on his performance and what the Executive Committee deemed fair, based on all factors.

This was also known and endorsed by NKF's patron, Mrs Goh, he said.

But Mrs Goh said that statement was incorrect.

Public attention has also focused on Mrs Goh, the senior minister's wife, after she defended Mr Durai's salary.

“For a person who runs a million-dollar charitable organisation, S$600,000 is peanuts as [NKF] has a few hundred millions in reserves,” she said.By John Burton in Singapore

She said she only learnt how much Mr Durai was paid when his salary was made public during the court hearing of his defamation suit against Singapore Press Holdings in July this year.

In addition, she was not a member of the NKF Board or its Executive Committee and therefore did not have authority to endorse the salary paid to Mr Durai. - CNA /ct