Lim Tean arrested in Johor Bahru after failing to surrender for jail term in Singapore
Opposition politician and lawyer Lim Tean was arrested by the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) in Johor Bahru on Thursday (6 Aug).
In response to queries from MS News, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) confirmed the arrest and said Lim has an outstanding court warrant for arrest in Singapore after failing to surrender to court.
The SPF added that it is “working closely with the RMP to secure his return to Singapore”.
“The SPF expresses appreciation to the Malaysian authorities for their prompt assistance,” it said.
Failed to surrender for jail term on 3 Aug, lawyer said it was ‘very unlike him’
The 61-year-old Singaporean was due to surrender at the State Courts at 12pm on Monday (3 Aug) to begin serving a jail term of three months and one week for practising law without a valid practising certificate.
However, he did not turn up.
His lawyer, Revi Shanker, previously told The Straits Times (ST) that Lim was “fully aware” he had to surrender and had messaged him on the morning of 3 Aug.
Lim subsequently became uncontactable.
According to CNA, Mr Shanker said both he and Lim’s bailor tried unsuccessfully to reach him, describing the situation as “very unlike him”.
An arrest warrant was subsequently issued against Lim that day.
Lim had originally been directed to surrender on 20 July. However, the Court of Appeal granted his request on 17 July to defer the start of his sentence until 3 Aug so he could settle his personal affairs.
A review of the arrest warrant is scheduled for 17 Aug, when Lim’s bailor is also due to explain why the bail sum should not be forfeited.
Jail term increased after prosecution appeal
Lim was convicted in July 2024 of three charges under the Legal Profession Act for practising as a lawyer without a valid practising certificate.
ST reported that he attended court hearings and submitted documents on 32 occasions between April and June 2021 without a valid practising certificate in force.
In February 2025, a district judge sentenced him to six weeks’ jail and a S$1,000 fine.
Both Lim and the prosecution appealed.
Lim challenged his conviction and sentence, while prosecutors sought a heavier jail term of between five and eight months.
In February 2026, the High Court allowed the prosecution’s appeal and increased Lim’s jail term to three months and one week after finding the original sentence “manifestly inadequate”.
Declared bankrupt in April, faces separate legal matters
Lim, the founder of Peoples Voice (PV) and secretary-general of the People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR), was declared bankrupt in April after a bankruptcy order was made against him on 2 April.
Source: Lim Tean on Facebook
That same month, the Court of Three Judges fined him S$30,000 in a separate disciplinary case over his handling of a former client’s S$30,000 cheque.
The court found that Lim had received or retained the cheque after he was discharged by the client, but failed to place the money in his law firm’s client account, breaching the Legal Profession (Solicitors’ Accounts) Rules.
The court rejected the Law Society of Singapore’s bid to have Lim struck off, finding that it had not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that he had wrongfully received and cashed the cheque.
Lim also faces separate pending criminal charges. In 2022, he was charged with unlawful stalking over the alleged harassment of a former employee of his law firm in 2020.
At the 2025 General Election, Lim contested Potong Pasir SMC in a three-way race, finishing behind the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) Alex Yeo and the Singapore People’s Party’s (SPP) Williamson Lee.
Source: Lim Tean on Facebook
Also read: Lim Tean fails to surrender to court for jail term, arrest warrant issued
Lim Tean fails to surrender to court for jail term, arrest warrant issued
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Featured image by MS News.
