T. T. Durai

Last updated

T. T. Durai
Born
Thambirajah Tharmadurai

(1948-04-22) 22 April 1948 (age 76)
Nationality (legal) Singapore
Known for National Kidney Foundation Singapore scandal

Thambirajah Tharmadurai (born 22 April 1948), better known as T. T. Durai, is a Singaporean who formerly served as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the non-profit health organisation National Kidney Foundation Singapore (NKF). The central figure in the 2005 National Kidney Foundation Singapore scandal, he was convicted for fraud, paying $25,000 in total for services not rendered, and sentenced to a three-month jail term.

Contents

Career

Durai worked for Bonyad Marketing Industries, which he said was an Iranian charity, as a representative in Singapore from 1990 to 1992. He left the company after being appointed as NKF's CEO.

Prior to becoming NKF CEO in 1992, Durai had been a volunteer for NKF for 21 years [1]

Durai was also a director of Amcol Holdings between 1990 and 1996, MediaCorp TV Channel 12 and Global Net Relations, a former NKF's employee's company.

On 14 July 2005, Durai and the NKF Board met with Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan. On the same day, the NKF called a press conference to announce the resignations of Durai and the entire NKF Board. [2]

In 2007, Durai was hired as the CEO of a new subsidiary company under Singapore-based real estate management firm Property Facility Services and was based full-time in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. [3]

NKF scandal

Defamation suit against SPH

On 19 April 2004, The Straits Times published an editorial "NKF: Controversially ahead of its time?" written by senior correspondent Susan Long. [4] This article led to Durai and NKF challenging the first six lines of the article, which claimed that a retired contractor (who declined to - and cannot - be named, for fear of being sued) had 'lost it' when he was asked to install "a glass-panelled shower, a pricey German toilet bowl and a (S$1,000) gold-plated tap" in Durai's office. [5] [6]

NKF and Durai later served a writ on Long and SPH for defamation, demanding S$3.24 million in damages. [6] They claimed that the article insinuated the mismanagement of donors' funds, the installations were scaled down only due to the contractor's protests, and that it had avoided providing further details on that matter. The trial began on 11 July 2005, with Long and SPH represented by Senior Counsel and MP Davinder Singh, while NKF and Durai were represented by Senior Counsel Michael Khoo. Under cross-examination, it was revealed that Durai collected a monthly salary of $25,000 and collected a 10-month bonus in 2002 and a 12-month bonus in both 2003 and 2004, for a total of $1.8 million over three years. He had access to a fleet of eight chauffeured cars and the NKF paid the maintenance costs of his personal Mercedes-Benz. [7] At the end of the second day of the trial, the case was dropped by Durai.

On 14 July 2005, after a meeting with Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan, Durai and the entire NKF board resigned. [2]

Civil suit by NKF

In April 2006, law firm Allen & Gledhill was engaged by the new NKF board to investigate past transactions that occurred under the former board and Durai's management. [8] The new board eventually filed a civil lawsuit against Durai, Durai's business associates and three former board members to recover monies amounting to S$12 million in salaries, benefits and failed contracts. [9] The suit included legal fees incurred during the NKF defamation suit against SPH and loss of donations from donors after the scandal. [9]

The suit was heard on 8 January 2007 [10] and on the second day of the trial, Durai conceded to all the claims made by NKF. [11] The suit eventually ended on 13 February 2007. [12]

The suit was settled with Durai repaying NKF $4.05 million, in a lump sum payment and instalments. Through a gift of S$1 million by Charles Letts, a former Jardine Mattheson & Co director, [13] Durai selling his house, and other loans from family and friends, Durai avoided bankruptcy. By July 2011, Durai finished his repayments to NKF. [14]

Criminal suit

After Durai and the NKF board resigned, the new NKF board appointed audit firm KPMG to audit NKF's transactions when it was managed by Durai. KPMG later released an audit report in December 2005. Based on the report, the Commercial Affairs Department and the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau investigated NKF’s malpractices. [15]

On 19 April 2006, Durai was charged for intention to deceive NKF when he approved payments, totaled $25,000, to two companies for services not rendered. [15] On 11 June 2007, Durai was convicted of both charges and sentenced to three months' jail. Durai appealed against the sentence but lost the appeal on 30 May 2008 as the presiding judge, Tay Yong Kwang, said that Durai "was in a position of trust and authority at the NKF and the return of the money only came about after investigations into the invoices were underway." The judge added that the "money in question belonged to a charity whose funds come from well meaning trusting donors". [16] [17]

Durai was jailed on 10 June 2008. After serving two-thirds of the sentence, he was released on 11 August. [16] [18]

Durai was charged on 27 June 2008 for a $5,000 invoice to a recruitment company for finding candidates for a senior management position in NKF. [19] Investigations shown that service was also not rendered but the charge was subsequently dropped. [20]

Personal life

It was reported that Durai spent much of his time reading at home and spending time with his wife, two sons and daughter. Before the KPMG report was out, his daughter wrote a passionate letter to the news media, pleading for the public to restore honour to her father. Durai had refrained from reading newspapers and watching television after the controversy.

Durai said that he was prepared for the worst, referring to any legal charges that would be laid on him.

On 16 July 2007, Durai was admitted to National University Hospital after contracting dengue fever. [21] His condition was reportedly stable. [22]

It was reported in the Straits Times in 2013 that Durai was spared from bankruptcy as a result of the events involving NKF only because of the extension of a goodwill loan from a personal friend. [23]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore)</span> Principal metro system serving Singapore

The Mass Rapid Transit system, locally known by the initialism MRT, is a rapid transit system in Singapore and the island country's principal mode of railway transportation. The system commenced operations in November 1987 after two decades of planning with an initial 6 km (3.7 mi) stretch consisting of five stations. The network has since grown to span the length and breadth of the country's main island – with the exception of the forested core and the rural northwestern region – in accordance with Singapore's aim of developing a comprehensive rail network as the backbone of the country's public transportation system, averaging a daily ridership of 3.4 million in 2019.

Tan Choo Leng is a Singaporean lawyer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khaw Boon Wan</span> Singaporean politician

Khaw Boon Wan is a Malaysian-born Singaporean former politician who served as Minister for Transport between 2015 and 2020, Minister for National Development between 2011 and 2015, and Minister for Health between 2003 and 2011. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Moulmein division of Tanjong Pagar GRC between 2001 and 2006, and the Sembawang division of Sembawang GRC between 2006 and 2020.

The following lists events that happened during 2005 in Singapore.

Gerard Ee Hock Kim is a public figure championing social service rights and issues in Singapore. He is the son of the late Ee Peng Liang, a Singaporean philanthropist and the Father of Charity in Singapore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Compass One</span> Shopping mall in Sengkang, Singapore

Compass One is a suburban shopping mall located in the town centre of Sengkang, Singapore. The mall was built as an integrated development together with a condominium, Compass Heights which is located adjacent to the mall. Originally opened on 1 August 2002, the mall closed for extensive renovation works on 26 October 2015 and re-opened on 1 September 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Kidney Foundation Singapore scandal</span> July 2005 scandal in Singapore

The National Kidney Foundation Singapore scandal, also known as the NKF saga, NKF scandal, or NKF controversy, was a July 2005 scandal involving National Kidney Foundation Singapore (NKF) following the collapse of a defamation trial which it brought against Susan Long and Singapore Press Holdings (SPH). This sparked significant controversy, causing a massive backlash and fallout of donors to the charity; it then subsequently resulted in the resignation of chief executive officer T.T Durai and its board of directors.

Lee Boon Yang is a Singaporean former politician who served as Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts between 2003 and 2009, Minister for Manpower between 1992 and 2003, and Minister for Defence between 1994 and 1995. A former member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Jalan Besar ward of Jalan Besar GRC between 1984 and 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singapore Press Holdings</span> Holding company in Singapore

Singapore Press Holdings Limited (SPH) was an organisation with businesses in property and aged care in Singapore. Since its takeover by Cuscaden Peak in 2022, it has been renamed Cuscaden Peak Investments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ng Yat Chung</span> Singaporean business executive and former general

Ng Yat Chung is a Singaporean former lieutenant-general who served as Chief of Defence Force between 2003 and 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coney Island, Singapore</span> Island in northeastern Singapore

Coney Island, alternatively known as Pulau Serangoon, is a 133-hectare island located off the northeastern coast of Singapore within the town of Punggol, between Pulau Ubin to its northeast and the mainland to its southwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lam Pin Min</span> Singaporean politician

Lam Pin Min is a Singaporean ophthalmologist and politician and who served as Senior Minister of State for Health and Senior Minister of State for Transport between 2017 and 2020. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Sengkang West division of Ang Mo Kio GRC between 2006 and 2011, and Sengkang West SMC between 2011 and 2020.

Henry Thia, also known as Alamak and Hui Ge, is a Singaporean actor and comedian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khoo Teck Puat Hospital</span> Hospital in Singapore

Khoo Teck Puat Hospital is a 795-bed general and acute care hospital located at Yishun in Singapore. Named after Singaporean hotelier, Khoo Teck Puat, the hospital is part of an integrated development together with the adjoining Yishun Community Hospital. The hospital was officially opened by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew on 15 November 2010, but began seeing outpatients and day surgery patients on 28 March that year. Spanning over 3.5 hectares in the Yishun Central Area overlooking the scenic Yishun Pond. The hospital offers an extensive range of medical services and healthcare options for residents living in the north. As of October 2017, KTPH merged with the National Healthcare Group and is now known as Yishun Health, together with Yishun Community Hospital and Admiralty Medical Centre.

Venerable Shi Ming Yi is a Singaporean Buddhist monk and the abbot of Foo Hai Ch'an Monastery.

<i>Lianhe Wanbao</i> Former Chinese newspaper in Singapore

Lianhe Wanbao was a Singapore Chinese-language afternoon newspaper published daily by SPH Media from 16 March 1983 after the merger between the Singaporean editions of Nanyang Siang Pau and Sin Chew Jit Poh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Singapore</span>

The Republic of Singapore is generally perceived as one of the least corrupt countries in the world. Cases are mostly handled by the Singapore Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), a government agency in Singapore that investigates and prosecutes corruption in the public and private sectors. According to a Transparency International survey, an overwhelming majority of people in Singapore do not hear cases of corruption by public officials or institutions through media in their lifetime. In 2020, Singapore's public sector was ranked by Transparency International as the fourth least corrupt in the world and the most transparent in Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Kidney Foundation Singapore</span>

The National Kidney Foundation Singapore (NKF) is a non-profit health organisation in Singapore. Its mission is to render services to kidney patients, encourage and promote renal research, as well as to carry out public education programs on kidney diseases. As of February 2016, NKF has 29 dialysis centres in Singapore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seah Moon Ming</span> Singaporean corporate executive

Seah Moon Ming is a Singaporean corporate executive who has contributed to several key engineering companies in Singapore, and is currently the Chairman of SMRT Corporation Ltd, SMRT Trains Ltd, SMRT TEL Pte Ltd and SMRT Buses Ltd.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SPH Media</span> Media company in Singapore

SPH Media Trust (SMT), trading as SPH Media, is a mass media company in Singapore. Incorporated on 19 July 2021 as a company limited by guarantee, it was spun off from Singapore Press Holdings as part of a restructuring. It owns several major newspapers in the country, including the English-language The Straits Times and The Business Times, Chinese-language Lianhe Zaobao and Shin Min Daily News, Malay-language Berita Harian, and the Tamil Murasu. The company also publishes magazines, and operates five radio stations.

References

  1. ↑ "Charity denies gold-plated tap installed in CEO's bathroom". The Straits Times . 12 July 2005. p. 3.
  2. 1 2 "Durai, NKF board resign amid public pressure". The Business Times . 15 July 2005. p. 1.
  3. ↑ "Durai secures $25,000-a-month CEO job in Abu Dhabi". www.asiaone.com. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  4. ↑ Long, Susan (19 April 2004). "The NKF : Controversially ahead of its time?". The Straits Times . pp. 12–13.
  5. ↑ "Action dropped, don't do it", Ng Wan Ching, The New Paper , 22 May 1999
  6. 1 2 "Home is home but this office is for charity", Low Ching Ling, The New Paper , 26 December 2005
  7. ↑ "The NKF Saga" Archived 14 January 2007 at the Wayback Machine , Siva Arasu, The Straits Times , 17 July 2005
  8. ↑ Chua, Val (12 April 2006). "NKF considers civil lawsuit". Today . p. 3.
  9. 1 2 Quah, Michelle (26 April 2006). "NKF seeks $12m from Durai and four others". The Business Times . p. 2.
  10. ↑ Quah, Michelle (9 January 2007). "Durai created his own fiefdom: NKF lawyers". The Business Times . p. 1.
  11. ↑ Quah, Michelle (11 January 2007). "Durai throws in towel, admits liability". The Business Times . p. 1.
  12. ↑ "NKF suit ends as Yong, Loo drop third-party claims". The Straits Times . 14 February 2007. p. 1.
  13. ↑ Vijayan, K. C. "The man who saved Durai from bankruptcy". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  14. ↑ Tan, Theresa (29 April 2012). "NKF saga ends with Durai debt repayment". The Straits Times . p. 8.
  15. 1 2 Henson, Bertha (19 April 2006). "NKF saga: Durai, four others charged". The Straits Times . p. 1.
  16. 1 2 "NKF saga: The players". The Straits Times . 23 December 2008. pp. A4.
  17. ↑ Saad, Imelda (30 May 2008). "Ex-NKF chief TT Durai to start 3-month jail sentence from Jun 10". Channel News Asia . Retrieved 11 June 2008.
  18. ↑ Tan, Judith (11 August 2008). "Ex-NKF CEO Durai released from jail". Channel News Asia . Retrieved 30 August 2008.
  19. ↑ Forss, Pearl (27 June 2007). "Durai back in court to face another charge of deceiving NKF". Channel News Asia . Retrieved 16 July 2007.
  20. ↑ "Durai cleared on false invoice charge". www.asiaone.com. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  21. ↑ Foo, Siew Shyan (16 July 2007). "Former NKF CEO Durai warded in NUH for dengue". Channel NewsAsia . Retrieved 16 July 2007.
  22. ↑ Cheney, Satish (17 July 2007). "Former NKF chief Durai's condition is stable: NUH". Channel NewsAsia . Retrieved 20 July 2007.
  23. ↑ Correspondent, K. C. Vijayan Senior Law (3 November 2013). "The man who saved Durai from bankruptcy". The Straits Times. ISSN   0585-3923 . Retrieved 25 May 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.