Ex-NKF patron Mrs Goh Chok Tong regrets remarks about TT Durai's pay: SM Goh
Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said his wife, who is the former patron of NKF, regretted saying that the charity's ex-CEO Mr TT Durai's annual pay package of some S$600,000 was "peanuts".
Mr Goh spoke to the media about the issue at a school celebration on Saturday.
Mrs Goh's remark on Mr Durai's annual salary on Tuesday raised many eyebrows and upset many more.
Senior Minister Goh said his wife now regretted making that comment.
He added: "When she told me what she said at home, I told her immediately, you're in trouble. There'll be negative reaction and sure enough the next day, Singaporeans reacted generally quite critically to her remarks and it's understandable because NKF is a charity and Singaporeans contribute to the NKF and they don't earn much."
Mr Goh added that he shared the public's sentiments and showed Mrs Goh several emails and letters he had received about her remarks.
Mr Goh said: "To educate her I showed her the letters and emails and now I think she understands better what she said was not quite in order but she explains why she said it. She told me that she was thinking of the organisation, she said that if you look at the organisation, the right person must be paid the right wage, but of course she put it across that way, the rest is history."
Senior Minister Goh said Mrs Goh's resignation as NKF's patron was a separate matter.
She has decided to step down as she felt the new NKF board might want to start afresh by appointing another patron or even go without one.
On the NKF, Mr Goh said he's pleased with the way Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan handled the matter, and agreed that the appointment of Gerard Ee as the interim CEO is a right one.
Going forward, he hopes the new board will review NKF's management practices and suggest areas for improvement. - CNA
