Doctor suspended for tax evasion

SINGAPORE — A doctor has been suspended from medical practice for four months following two charges involving fraud and dishonesty, said the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) today (Dec 30).

Dr Chiang Currie, 57, was convicted in the Subordinate Courts of tax evasion in May 2011, in which she under-declared income tax amounting to S$149,591.00 in her tax returns for the Years of Assessment 2006 and 2007. For the two charges, the total tax evaded amounted to $29,529.30. She was sentenced to a period of six months and ordered to pay a penalty of S$117,888.30.

During the time of her conviction, she was a medical practitioner at the International Eye Clinic at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre. On Nov 21, Dr Chiang appeared before the Disciplinary Tribunal (DT) of the SMC.

The DT gave full credit to Dr Chiang for her co-operation with the authorities and early plea of guilt as well as her contributions to society and the medical profession and her previous unblemished record. However, her offences were serious ones involving some degree of premeditation and preparation, and were committed over two years and not a single one-off incident of thoughtlessness and misjudgement, noted the DT.

Dr Chiang is to be suspended from medical practice for a period of 4 months, be censured, give a written undertaking to the SMC that she will not engage in the conduct complained of or any similar conduct and pay the costs and expenses of and incidental to these inquiry proceedings, including the costs of the solicitors to the SMC.

Dr Chiang’s four-month suspension will take effect from Dec 22 this year to April 21 next year.