As a clinical psychologist trained in Singapore, I am compelled to write this letter after the HIV data leak by the self-proclaimed “child psychologist” Mikhy Farrera Brochez, whose master’s degree in developmental and child psychology was found to be fake.

Brochez himself has the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and how he got past so many tests and government ministries to work in Singapore in the past 10 years is disturbing.

Apart from the concern that our systems may be flawed and vulnerable to people who are out to deceive others, my biggest concern is his impact on his students, young patients and their families in the past 10 years.

Given that Brochez’s education certificates and qualifications were forged, it is crucial to investigate the role he played in the child psychology clinic set by him, as reported in some news media outlets.

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As a former lecturer and child psychologist, his role was to educate, inspire and help.

However, without any qualification and training in psychology, Brochez had access to young minds and vulnerable children for a decade.

His fraudulent act did not only tarnish the reputation of psychologists in Singapore, it led to this question: How many more like him are out there practising and treating children?

The truth is, we do not know, because the profession of a psychologist is still unregulated in Singapore and registration is solely voluntary.

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To be registered as a psychologist in Singapore, it requires minimally a master’s degree in psychology and at least 400 hours of supervised clinical hours.

In other countries such as the United States, to be called a psychologist requires much more, for example, examinations on academic abilities and ethics, strict adherence to ethic codes, etc.

Overseas psychologists even require a specialised licence to work with those who have special needs, such as intellectual disabilities, learning difficulties and developmental disorders, which are common referrals in psychology clinics.

Mishandling such patients and their families can lead to detrimental outcomes psychologically and/or emotionally, and most importantly, it prevents them from receiving the professional care they deserve.

Last but not least, how Brochez managed to forge his blood-test result with the help of his lover, a medical doctor, also shed light on the licensing issue among doctors and other healthcare professions.

If such behaviour can occur in a well-regulated profession, what about a profession with no regulation?

When real-estate agents, acupuncturists, and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners are required to register to practise in Singapore, shouldn’t there be mandatory registration for psychologists as well?