Experts worry about fallout from HIV leak
Deception by American raises questions on how he managed to evade employment checks by MOM, MOE and polytechnics
The repercussions of the HIV registry breach is likely to go beyond the 14,200 people whose personal data was leaked online, say experts.
Political analyst Eugene Tan said the scandal has raised questions on whether Singapore's systems are robust enough.
The Singapore Management University law don told The New Paper it is worrying how the man behind the leak, Mikhy Farrera Brochez, now 34, managed to evade so many checks.
After arriving here in January 2008 to join his Singaporean lover, Ler Teck Siang, the American used a fake passport to take an HIV test, which was positive.
But he managed to deceive the Ministry of Manpower about his HIV status twice with the help of Ler, who provided his own blood for the HIV tests.
The deception enabled Brochez to get an employment pass.
He then used fake certificates to get teaching jobs at two polythenics and at least one private institution over eight years.
At Temasek Polytechnic, he taught psychology and early childhood subjects from February 2009 to January 2011.
He also claimed to be a child prodigy and the youngest registered psychologist in the history of the American Psychological Association.
He then worked as a lecturer in Ngee Ann's School of Humanities & Social Sciences from June 2011 to April 2012.
Highlighting how Brochez managed to get away with his deceptions for so many years, Prof Tan said: "It makes one wonder how many others might have also beaten the system.
"He might have had help, but when you look at the roles he played as an educator and child psychologist, it raises the question on whether checks across the sectors were robust enough."
Though investigations began on whether Brochez had faked the HIV tests in 2013, the couple were arrested only in 2016.
In 2017, Brochez was sentenced to 28 months in jail. After his release in April last year, he was deported.
Ler was sentenced to 24 months' jail last September for abetting Brochez's cheating offence, which he has appealed against.
He also faces another charge of mishandling confidential information under the Official Secrets Act.
On Monday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) revealed that the personal details and HIV status of 14,200 individuals had been leaked online by Brochez.
It is believed that Ler, then the head of the National Public Health Unit, had downloaded the confidential information onto a thumb drive, which somehow ended up with Brochez.
Experts agreed the incident highlighted several flaws in Singapore's systems from healthcare and education to how stringent the checks are for job applicants with certificates from overseas institutions.
Temasek and Ngee Ann polytechnics told TNP that they verify the educational certificates submitted at the point of application against the original certificates.
Prof Tan added: "We don't know how the consequences will be played out and can't say how extended they will be."
Dr Carol Balhetchet, a clinical psychologist who has experience in child psychology, said that she is "baffled" and "appalled" that Brochez was able to teach and practise for eight years.
She said: "Children, particularly those who might have special needs, behavioural issues or learning difficulties, and their parents had trusted him.
"If you give the wrong advice, the emotional and mental impact is unimaginable. To have someone unqualified doing this is really scary."
Dr Balhetchet, who is also a part-time polytechnic lecturer, said the fact that Brochez, with falsified qualifications, was allowed to teach polytechnic students is shocking.
"It tarnishes the reputation of the polytechnics and the field of psychology as a whole."
This article has been edited for clarity
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