Tan Tock Seng Hospital dismisses blogger Roy Ngerng

SINGAPORE: Tan Tock Seng Hospital said on Tuesday (June 10) that it has terminated Mr Roy Ngerng’s contract with immediate effect for “conduct incompatible with the values and standards expected of employees” and for misusing resources for personal pursuits.

33-year-old Mr Ngerng has been in the news recently for allegedly defaming Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong via his blog, “The Heart Truths”. The case will be heard in court.

In a statement, the hospital said Mr Ngerng, a patient coordinator at the Communicable Disease Centre, was found to have misused his time and resources while at work to pursue “personal and non-job-related interests”.

“Mr Ngerng’s conduct was incompatible with the values and standards we expect of our employees. While our staff are free to pursue their personal interests outside work, they must conduct themselves properly, honourably and with integrity. In particular, they cannot defame someone else without basis, which essentially means knowingly stating a falsehood to the public,” it stated.

A post on Mr Ngerng’s Facebook page said he had been “expecting” to be fired. He said the stress of the court case has made it “difficult” for him to concentrate on his job.

“I could have done a lot better over the past few months. My supervisors have been patient, but they also have a responsibility to uphold and I respect that,” he wrote.