Durai, Yong to be charged today
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Ansley Ng
ansley@newstoday.com.sg
FORMER National Kidney Foundation CEO TT Durai will be charged in court today, ending months of talk about whether action would be taken against him for his role in Singapore's biggest charity scandal, sources told Today.
The move comes nine months after Mr Durai and the entire NKF board resigned following intense outcry over the way they managed the foundation.
Many were upset that not enough of the donations made by the public went towards treating the patients. NKF was accused of spending excessively and its former chief executive was criticised for receiving backdated pay rises.
Mr Durai was believed to have been arrested yesterday and released on bail.
At the Subordinate Court this morning, former NKF director Matilda Chua, former chairman Richard Yong and former honorary treasurer Loo Say San will be charged as well – Mr Yong and Mr Loo for their roles in Forte Systems, a Chennai-based firm involved in botched contracts with NKF.
In September 2001, the old NKF signed a $4.29 million agreement with the company to provide a new enterprise resource management system. The deal involved payments from NKF even though Forte Systems was said to have failed to deliver some services.
The company is owned by Mr Pharis Aboobacker, a friend of Mr Durai. Mr Yong and Mr Loo are to be slapped with one charge each under the Companies Act, said the lawyer for both men, Mr Chia Boon Teck of Khattar Wong & Partners.
If guilty, both men face a jail term of up to one year or a fine of up to $5,000.
It was not clear what charges Mr Durai and Ms Chua would face.
At least seven family members and friends were with Mr Durai when Today visited his Fort Road home last night. Mr Durai declined to speak to the media.
Two weeks ago, NKF appointed law firm Allen & Gledhill to see if a civil suit could be brought up to seek recourse against the old management and board.
Ansley Ng
ansley@newstoday.com.sg
FORMER National Kidney Foundation CEO TT Durai will be charged in court today, ending months of talk about whether action would be taken against him for his role in Singapore's biggest charity scandal, sources told Today.
The move comes nine months after Mr Durai and the entire NKF board resigned following intense outcry over the way they managed the foundation.
Many were upset that not enough of the donations made by the public went towards treating the patients. NKF was accused of spending excessively and its former chief executive was criticised for receiving backdated pay rises.
Mr Durai was believed to have been arrested yesterday and released on bail.
At the Subordinate Court this morning, former NKF director Matilda Chua, former chairman Richard Yong and former honorary treasurer Loo Say San will be charged as well – Mr Yong and Mr Loo for their roles in Forte Systems, a Chennai-based firm involved in botched contracts with NKF.
In September 2001, the old NKF signed a $4.29 million agreement with the company to provide a new enterprise resource management system. The deal involved payments from NKF even though Forte Systems was said to have failed to deliver some services.
The company is owned by Mr Pharis Aboobacker, a friend of Mr Durai. Mr Yong and Mr Loo are to be slapped with one charge each under the Companies Act, said the lawyer for both men, Mr Chia Boon Teck of Khattar Wong & Partners.
If guilty, both men face a jail term of up to one year or a fine of up to $5,000.
It was not clear what charges Mr Durai and Ms Chua would face.
At least seven family members and friends were with Mr Durai when Today visited his Fort Road home last night. Mr Durai declined to speak to the media.
Two weeks ago, NKF appointed law firm Allen & Gledhill to see if a civil suit could be brought up to seek recourse against the old management and board.
posted by khimsiu at 1:29 PM
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