that he was not to blame for accepting them. NKF volunteer Archie Ong and aero-modelling instructor Piragasam Singaravelu, who claimed that they had seen Durai travelling in first class on airlines while making NKF business trips, were taken to court separately in 1998. Both apologised and paid damages and costs to the NKF after realising they were effectively fighting a losing battle against the unlimited monetary resources of the NKF. The NKF, including chairman Richard Yong, had maintained that senior executives flew business class for long-haul flights. Durai told the court on 11 July 2005 that he did fly first class. For the past two years, he had been entitled to a fare equal to Singapore Airlines business class rate – the equivalent of first class on other airlines. Previously, he had paid the difference on his own. It was revealed during the trial that the NKF had a fleet of eight cars with company drivers and Durai was one of six officers who could make use of them at any time. The office cars were also used to transport VIPs and guests of the charity. In his affidavit, Durai said that the office fleet was used by officers who had to visit NKF facilities to attend to the needs of the centres and patients. Durai also had his own Mercedes-Benz 200 for his personal and family use, and his wife also drove it. However, the NKF paid the car's road tax and picked up the bills for maintenance and repair. Singh questioned Durai on the cars. Durai said that, as CEO, he was entitled to use any of the cars any time he wanted. He also admitted that he had used the office cars for personal use. While Durai worked full-time as CEO of the NKF, he was also a director of a number of other companies. He was paid sums of up to S$25,000 a year by them, over and above his NKF remuneration package. He never told the NKF board about some of these, and did not list these directorships in his curriculum vitae (CV). It was also revealed that Durai had a business relationship with Matilda Chua, a one-time employee of the NKF, who left to start her own company. Not only did he invest in her business, but the NKF also gave her telemarketing contracts, and she eventually became a member of the NKF board