A Singaporean doctor has been suspended from medical practice for four months after he attempted to swap seats with a passenger when approaching a police roadblock, in an effort to avoid being identified as the driver.

 

According to The Straits Times, Nah Kwang Meng Joshua was disciplined by the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) after a tribunal found that his actions amounted to improper conduct that brought disrepute to the profession.

 

The incident occurred on July 14, 2022. Dr Nah had consumed three to four glasses of beer during dinner before driving along Sophia Road towards Upper Wilkie Road at about 11:24 pm. Upon noticing a police roadblock ahead, he asked his front-seat passenger to exchange seats with him. Reports indicate that he continued persuading the passenger despite being turned down several times.

 

When the vehicle stopped, Dr Nah exited and told a police officer he was retrieving surgical masks from the car boot for his passenger. He was later subjected to a breathalyser test and arrested. Tests showed he had 32 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, which was below the current legal limit of 35 micrograms, The Straits Times reported. Singapore authorities are expected to lower the limit to 15 micrograms later in 2026.

 

Dr Nah later pleaded guilty at the State Courts to attempting to perform an act that could pervert the course of justice. In October 2023, he was fined S$4,000.

 

Following his conviction, the SMC referred the matter to a disciplinary tribunal in January 2026. The tribunal ruled that even though the misconduct did not occur in the course of medical practice, it reflected negatively on the integrity expected of doctors.

 

In its written decision released on March 2, the tribunal noted that Dr Nah was aware of the serious consequences of drink-driving and sought to avoid detection. It also considered his seniority, having been registered as a doctor since May 2007, as an aggravating factor, according to The Straits Times.

 

The SMC had sought a suspension of between seven and eight months. However, the tribunal imposed a four-month suspension and issued a formal censure. Dr Nah was also ordered to provide a written undertaking that he would not repeat such conduct and to pay the costs of the disciplinary proceedings.

 

His lawyers argued that there was no actual obstruction of justice because police detected the situation almost immediately and that the offence was committed outside his professional duties.

 

The case highlights Singapore’s strict professional standards, where conduct outside the workplace can still attract disciplinary action if it undermines public confidence in the profession.