SINGAPORE — Lawyer and opposition politician Lim Tean was handed three additional criminal charges on Friday (Oct. 9) over his alleged departure to Malaysia while on bail, bringing the total number of charges he faces to seven.
The 61-year-old appeared in court via video link and was represented by lawyer Revi Shanker. He did not indicate how he intended to plead to the new charges, according to CNA and AsiaOne.
The latest charges relate to his failure to surrender at the State Courts on Aug. 3 to begin serving a jail sentence, his alleged departure from Singapore without presenting valid travel documents, and an alleged attempt to avoid imprisonment by leaving for Malaysia.
Three new charges explained
According to the Singapore Police Force, Lim faces the following additional charges:
- Failing to surrender to custody: He allegedly failed to report to the State Courts on Aug. 3 as ordered to begin serving his sentence.
- Leaving Singapore without valid travel documents: He allegedly departed through Tuas Checkpoint on Aug. 4 without presenting a valid passport or other acceptable evidence of his identity and Singapore citizenship.
- An act allegedly intended to defeat the course of justice: Prosecutors allege that he left for Malaysia to avoid serving the jail term imposed by the court.
If convicted, Lim faces up to three years’ imprisonment for failing to surrender, up to six months for the immigration-related charge, and up to seven years for the charge involving an act that could defeat the course of justice. The applicable penalties may also include fines.
Arrested in Malaysia and returned to Singapore
Lim failed to surrender on Aug. 3, prompting a warrant of arrest to be issued that day.
He was arrested by the Royal Malaysia Police in Johor Bahru on Aug. 6 and handed over to Singapore police on Aug. 11 following cooperation between the two forces.
Police said Lim did not have his passport when he left Singapore and had not obtained permission from the court to leave the country.
Two other Singaporean men, aged 38 and 45, have also been charged over their alleged involvement in arranging Lim’s departure. Their cases remain before the courts.
Background to his original jail sentence
Lim was convicted in July 2024 on three charges of acting as an advocate or solicitor without authorisation under the Legal Profession Act.
The charges arose from his conduct between April and June 2021, when he attended court hearings and submitted documents on behalf of clients despite not holding a valid practising certificate.
He was initially sentenced to six weeks’ imprisonment and fined S$1,000. In February 2026, the High Court allowed the prosecution’s appeal and increased his prison term to three months and one week.
The Court of Appeal subsequently dismissed Lim’s application to refer questions of law relating to his convictions and ordered him to surrender to begin serving the sentence. It later granted a deferment, setting Aug. 3 as the date for him to report to the State Courts.
Lim has since begun serving that sentence, while the new charges are dealt with separately.
Other cases remain pending
Lim, founder of the opposition party People’s Voice, continues to face other criminal charges, including allegations of criminal breach of trust and unlawful stalking. Those matters are separate from the latest charges concerning his departure from Singapore.
The latest case is scheduled to return to court for a pre-trial conference on Oct. 23.
The new charges concern allegations that have yet to be adjudicated. Lim’s guilt on those charges has not been established in court.
