09-08-2025
Lawyer convicted of defaming Singapore hospital cleared to join legal profession
SINGAPORE, Aug 9 — A lawyer fined for criminally defaming Singapore's KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) over a false miscarriage story has been approved for admission to the Singapore Bar.
Singapore-based media organisation CNA reported yesterday that Ariffin Iskandar Sha Ali Akbar, 28, who published the fabricated story on the Wake Up Singapore website in 2022, was fined S$8,000 (RM26,400) last year.
Despite objections from the Singapore attorney general and the Singapore Institute of Legal Education, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon ruled that Ariffin remained fit to practise law.
The Chief Justice noted Ariffin's cooperation, remorse, and efforts to retract the story and apologise to KKH, adding that the offence stemmed from negligence rather than dishonesty.
The Law Society of Singapore did not object to his admission, describing the offence as 'not one of serious gravity and did not involve any dishonesty.'
Ariffin, also a former Singapore Democratic Party candidate, will be called to the Bar on August 13.
He expressed gratitude following the court decision.
'I hope to use this privilege of practice to serve the community and help those in need,' he said, as reported by CNA.
