The New NKF Story

Gerard Ee and his team have done a miraculous job in the New NKF. They have cut cost, raised subsidies, took in more patients, and increased income for the NKF despite losing 100,000 donors. What can we say? Applause! Now they are thinking of more ways to reduce the costs to the poorer patients and spending a bit more of the $270m in reserves. Perhaps drawing down a little to help more people. That's what a charity is supposed to be instead of acting like a bank or public trust and hoard the money for as long as it can, in the process depriving some of the needy from some help. People from another school of thought may be looking at the New NKF management in horror. How could they ever think of spending the reserve? Reserves are meant to be reserves and should not be touched. Only to be used for very good reasons, maybe like engaging a professional top grade executive to raise more fund. For such an animal, they need to pay him/her market rate to match his talents. It reminds me of the Malaysian's unwillingness to sell us water and prefer to let the rain water flow into the Straits of Johore. Donation money are like rain water. It is God sent. No need to work for it. Just ask or beg and the kindness of human milk will flow. Turn it into a business enterprise, it will dry up. Be more calculative, and the donors will also be as calculative. We must not forget the original meaning of charity. It is human kindness from the heart. Those without a heart should not meddle with charity and charitable organisations. Gerard Ee and his team have done a miraculous job in the New NKF. They have cut cost, raised subsidies, took in more patients, and increased income for the NKF despite losing 100,000 donors. What can we say? Applause! Now they are thinking of more ways to reduce the costs to the poorer patients and spending a bit more of the $270m in reserves. Perhaps drawing down a little to help more people. That's what a charity is supposed to be instead of acting like a bank or public trust and hoard the money for as long as it can, in the process depriving some of the needy from some help. People from another school of thought may be looking at the New NKF management in horror. How could they ever think of spending the reserve? Reserves are meant to be reserves and should not be touched. Only to be used for very good reasons, maybe like engaging a professional top grade executive to raise more fund. For such an animal, they need to pay him/her market rate to match his talents. It reminds me of the Malaysian's unwillingness to sell us water and prefer to let the rain water flow into the Straits of Johore. Donation money are like rain water. It is God sent. No need to work for it. Just ask or beg and the kindness of human milk will flow. Turn it into a business enterprise, it will dry up. Be more calculative, and the donors will also be as calculative. We must not forget the original meaning of charity. It is human kindness from the heart. Those without a heart should not meddle with charity and charitable organisations.