SINGAPORE: A Singaporean doctor is on trial, which opened on Monday (Sep 25), for allegedly helping his HIV-positive American boyfriend dupe the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) into issuing him an employment pass.
Ler Teck Siang, 36, is accused of giving a sample of his own blood to be submitted so that
Mikhy K Farrera-Brochez could hide his HIV status.
He allegedly did this twice, first in March 2008 and again in November 2013 when Brochez’ employment pass was up for renewal. The application was subsequently granted.
At the time of his arrest, Ler was head of the National Public Health Unit (NPHU) at the Ministry of Health.
Besides the two counts of cheating MOM into giving Brochez an employment pass, Ler faces another two counts of lying to public servants.
In December 2013, Ler allegedly lied to a Ministry of Health official from the surveillance and enforcement branch by denying that Brochez was at his clinic at Twin City Medical Centre the month before."
This is, hopefully, a very isolated n exceptional case of a young, obviously brilliant star of MOH as head of National Public Health Unit at younger than 36 yrs old, making BAD decision due to a relationship.
This case shows again that when it comes to matter of emotion, rationality has no chance!!
Maybe he believes being HIV positive is no a BIG DEAL anymore given how much medical science has advanced since AIDS was 1st diagnosed. HIV can be controlled n may not harm anyone if the carrier is aware n very careful interacting with others.
If such is his thought, it is easy, or easier, to comprehend how he could hv acted totally the opposite of what we're expected of him as a public health personnel n a trained medical doctor!!
Would anyone had made that decision to conceal the HIV thingy? Were the employer n the co-workers of that American carrier happy to hv him during the time he was employed n worked alongside them?
Did they feel that they should be informed even if this Doctor Ler n their co-worker believe that HIV-positive has NO BEARING on how well he can work n posed no risk to them? Or they feel that they deserved to know n decide how they can interact with the HIV-positive person?
Whatever it may be. Glad that it is being addressed.
Regardless, hope indeed no one got infected n the "couple" get served their "punishment" rightly n justly.
Will Sgp change its law to cater to this so that nobody had to lie? I m not sure we r ready though medically a HIV-positive person can live a long n productive life without harming others!!
For future public servants, duties n obligation to the group, community n nation MUST come 1st in a conflict of interest situation.
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