Inquiry Into Ren Ci Hospital And Medicare Centre (Ren Ci)

15 Jul 2008

The Ministry of Health launched an Inquiry into Ren Ci under the Charities Act on 7 November 2007.  On 15 February 2008, MOH referred the preliminary findings to the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) of the Singapore Police Force for further investigation.

2 CAD has concluded its investigations.  Three persons, Goh Kah Heng alias Shi Ming Yi, CEO of Ren Ci, his former Personal Executive, Raymond Yeung Chi Hang and a Manager of Ren Ci’s Resource Development Department, David Phua Seow Hwa, were charged in the Subordinate Courts today.  Shi Ming Yi faces 4 charges under the Penal Code involving 2 counts of criminal breach of trust, one count of forgery for the purpose of cheating and one count of abetment of falsification of accounts.  Shi Ming Yi also faces 6 charges under the Charities Act concerning the providing of false information.  Raymond Yeung faces one charge of abetting the falsification of accounts under the Penal Code, and one charge of abetting the providing of false information under the Charities Act.  David Phua faces one charge of abetting the providing of false information under the Charities Act. 

3. The Commissioner of Charities has, with immediate effect, suspended Shi Ming Yi from his office as Chief Executive Officer of Ren Ci Hospital & Medicare Centre.  He will also be suspended from his executive positions in 5 other charities, viz. Foo Hai Ch’an Monastery, Foo Hai Ch’an Buddhist Cultural and Welfare Association, Singapore Buddhist Free Clinic and The Singapore Regional Centre of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, and the Katho Temple. He remains the religious leader of the Foo Hai Ch’an Monastery. 

Patient Care Services will not be affected

4 The Ren Ci Board, led by Mr Chua Thian Poh who assumed Chairmanship in September 2007, has reassured MOH that Ren Ci’s current services and day-to-day operations will remain intact and will not be disrupted.   In fact, Shi Ming Yi has taken leave of absence from Ren Ci since February 2008 and has not been involved in its operation. 

5 MOH notes that Mr Chua has invited a couple of new members into the Board to lead the strengthening of board governance and that Ren Ci has since put in a number of improvements in accordance with the recommendations made by the auditor.  Mr Chua will further strengthen the Board in the wake of these findings. 

6 MOH will continue to support Mr Chua and his Board to ensure that Ren Ci’s good work to its patients will continue.  Its operating subvention to Ren Ci will ensure that patient care and medical treatment will not be affected.  Meanwhile, construction of the new Ren Ci Community Hospital is on-going.  It is expected to be completed by December 2008.  MOH is studying a request for increased capital grant for this project to help Ren Ci cope with the rising construction cost, together with an MOU with Ren Ci for deeper collaboration between the Ren Ci Community Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital, to deliver more seamless integrated care between the two institutions. 

MINISTRY OF HEALTH

15 July 2008