Prominent plastic surgeon Dr Woffles Wu who was fined $1,000 in 2012 for getting an employee to take the rap for a speeding offence has been suspended from practice for four months, said the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) on Monday.

The SMC said that the Dr Wu's "wrongful act" was subverting the course of justice through his act of dishonesty and that this was a conduct that the medical profession would not condone.

His seniority and standing in the medical profession was also found to be an aggravating factor in the case, and instead of setting a good example for younger practitioners to emulate, Dr Wu "tarnished the good name of the profession". The SMC also felt that Dr Wu was not entirely remorseful as he had admitted that he had not given a second thought to what he did and that he believed it was a common practice to furnish false information to the Traffic Police for such offences.

Dr Wu was also ordered to be censured, to give written undertaking to the SMC that he would not engage in the conduct complained of, or any similar conduct, and to pay costs and expenses for the proceedings. His suspension took effect on March 24.