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SINGAPORE – Ler Teck Siang, the doctor involved in the HIV data leak in January last year, has been removed from the medical record, the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) disciplinary court said in its decision published on Tuesday (1 May September).
The 39-year-old Singaporean, who was the former head of the Ministry of Health’s National Public Health Unit, had helped his former American partner Mikhy Farrera-Brochez trick authorities into issuing a work pass by lying about HIV-positive from Farrera-Brochez. state.
In its written findings, the court, consisting of Professor Walter Tan, Associate Professor Tan Tong Khee, and Mr. Bala Reddy (Legal Service Officer), concluded that Ler’s conviction by the courts on various charges involved “a defect in the interpretation of the character (Ler) unsuitable for his profession “.
Ler’s conduct on each of the charges for which he had been convicted caused serious harm, and the nature of the crimes also showed that Ler’s degree of guilt was high. Therefore, the court ruled that Ler should receive the severest punishment.
The court also said that it is not correct for Ler to claim that no harm was caused and that Ler did not gain anything from committing the crimes. “(Ler) had obtained a non-monetary gain from his commission of the crimes in the Penal Code charges and had undermined the safeguards established by government authorities for the maintenance of public health.”
The court said that Ler, who represented himself at the February hearing, was not being charged for a simple dishonest act, but for criminal convictions for fraud and dishonesty.
“(Ler) had been involved in the deception of government authorities not once, but four times … (Ler) four crimes occurred over the course of several years, with false statements to the Ministry of Health and the police made with the in order to cover up his past misconduct, which in no way could be said to be a unique or trivial lapse in the trial, “the court said.
“This court is of the opinion that (Ler’s) conduct has caused serious or potential harm to the public’s confidence in the profession and to the public’s health and safety.
“Under the element of ‘guilt’, the most relevant factor to consider in the present case is the degree of premeditation and planning involved, including the lengths to which the doctor went to cover up his misconduct,” said the panel, which also ordered Ler to bear the costs of the court hearing.
The SMC was represented by Mr. Chia Voon Jiet and Mr. Sim Bing Wen of the Drew & Napier Law Firm.
Ler was sentenced to two years in prison for instigating Farrera-Brochez to cheat and for providing false information to the police and the Ministry of Health.
He was also sentenced to 15 months in jail for drug-related offenses.
Additionally, Ler faces a separate charge under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) for failing to take reasonable precautions to withhold information related to the HIV Registry, as well as a charge for refusing to provide a urine sample to narcotics officers. . .
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