Founder of site that ran fake KKH story can be called to the Bar despite conviction

The founder of news site Wake Up Singapore (WUSG), Mr Ariffin Sha, can be admitted to the Bar despite his criminal conviction over an untrue story about a miscarriage at KK Women's and Children's Hospital that was published on the site's online channels.

- Selina Lum

Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said this on Aug 8 in written grounds of decision regarding Mr Ariffin's application for admission to the Bar, as well as that of two other law graduates. The three applications are so-called "legacy cases" that came before the Chief Justice owing to new admission rules that came into effect on July 17, 2024.

The Chief Justice had declined to impose any period of deferment on Mr Ariffin and considered that he was fit and proper for admission to the Bar. The other two, Mr Aaron Foo Zhong Yu and Mr Harish Rai, were found not fit and proper to be admitted to the Bar on account of their character.

Regarding Mr Ariffin, Chief Justice Menon said his offence of criminal defamation was not one that involved dishonesty.

It has not been shown that Mr Ariffin was aware that the story was false when he published the article, said the Chief Justice. Rather, Mr Ariffin had failed to exercise due care to ascertain the veracity of the story before he published it.