A 57-year-old man who volunteered as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) physician has been sentenced to 12 months in jail after being exposed for secretly filming his patients in compromising positions over a period of nearly three years.
Liew Meng Fatt pleaded guilty on April 8, 2025, to three counts of voyeurism, with four other similar charges taken into consideration during sentencing. Due to his age, Liew was not subjected to caning.
Court documents revealed that between August 2020 and September 2022, Liew worked part-time at two TCM clinics, where he used his position to take advantage of patients who had placed their trust in him. He instructed patients—most of whom were women—to lie face down on a treatment bed under the guise of performing treatments such as acupuncture.
While the patients were in vulnerable positions, Liew secretly took voyeuristic photographs of their exposed breasts or genital areas. His actions were particularly brazen, with at least one victim being targeted even while her husband was in the same room during the treatment.
The offences came to light not through a patient complaint, but when Liew’s wife discovered the obscene images on his electronic devices at home. Shocked by what she found, she turned over his devices—including two smartphones, a laptop, and two hard disks—to the police.
Upon forensic examination, investigators found at least 137 voyeuristic photographs involving nine different victims, all taken in a clinical TCM setting. Liew later admitted that he had taken the photographs for his own sexual gratification. After capturing the images, he would transfer them to his laptop from his phone, and even edited them by adjusting the brightness to better view the content.
Prosecutors described Liew’s actions as calculated and deliberate, using his role as a caregiver and healer to exploit patients. In addition to betraying the trust of his victims, his conduct was a serious abuse of professional boundaries, especially in a medical context where privacy and dignity are essential.
Although Liew had been volunteering as a TCM practitioner during the time of the offences, business records show that he previously held the position of director at the Singapore College of Traditional Chinese Medicine from May 2016 to May 2019. Separately, he was also employed as a senior technical sales specialist.
The court heard that there was no indication that his victims were aware they had been filmed until the police investigation was launched. To protect the identities of the women involved, a gag order has been imposed, preventing the release of any personal details that could lead to their identification.
In sentencing, the court acknowledged the seriousness of the offences, noting that Liew had taken advantage of patients in a setting that requires the highest level of trust and professionalism. His actions not only violated his victims’ privacy but also undermined public confidence in the healthcare profession.
Under Singapore law, voyeurism carries a maximum sentence of two years’ imprisonment, a fine, caning, or a combination of these penalties. However, offenders above the age of 50 are exempt from caning.
This case adds to the growing concern over breaches of patient trust in healthcare settings and reinforces the importance of strict safeguards and accountability for those in caregiving roles.
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