Lawyer and opposition politician Lim Tean has been handed over to Singapore authorities after being arrested in Johor Bahru for failing to surrender to the Singapore State Courts to begin serving his jail sentence.
The 61-year-old founder of Peoples Voice was arrested by the Royal Malaysia Police on 6 August. He was subsequently handed over to the Singapore Police Force on 11 August after being deported from Malaysia.
Singapore Police said its Commercial Affairs Department arrested Lim upon his return to Singapore. Investigations are ongoing into the circumstances surrounding his departure from Singapore.
Lim was supposed to report to court on August 3
Lim had been ordered to surrender at the State Courts on 3 August to begin serving a jail term of three months and one week.
He failed to turn up, resulting in an arrest warrant being issued that same day.
Two Singaporean men were also charged on 8 August over an alleged conspiracy to help Lim leave Singapore.
Mohammad Adam Abd Karim, 44, and Sulaiman Muhammad Firdaus, 37, each face one charge of engaging in a conspiracy to commit an act with a tendency to defeat the course of justice.
According to their charge sheets, the pair allegedly made arrangements for Lim to leave Singapore on 4 August.
Authorities have not disclosed further details about how Lim left Singapore, while investigations into his departure continue.
Jail term increased after prosecution appeal
Lim’s current jail sentence stems from his conviction under the Legal Profession Act for carrying out work as an advocate and solicitor without a valid practising certificate.
Between April and June 2021, he attended court hearings and submitted documents on behalf of clients on 32 occasions despite not having a valid practising certificate in force.
He was convicted on three charges in July 2024 and was initially sentenced in February 2025 to six weeks’ imprisonment and a S$1,000 fine.
Both Lim and the prosecution subsequently appealed. The prosecution sought a heavier sentence, arguing that the original punishment was inadequate.
In February 2026, the High Court allowed the prosecution’s appeal and increased Lim’s imprisonment term to three months and one week.
Lim had failed to obtain his practising certificate for the relevant practice year after encountering difficulties securing the professional indemnity insurance required for the application.
Lim also fined S$30,000 in separate disciplinary case
The latest case follows a separate disciplinary matter involving Lim’s handling of money belonging to a former client.
In April 2026, he was fined S$30,000 after being found guilty of professional misconduct concerning a S$30,000 cheque intended for his client.
The Law Society of Singapore had sought to have Lim struck off the roll, while Lim argued that a much smaller fine should be imposed.
The Court of Three Judges cited, among other factors, his attitude towards his professional obligations and his experience as a senior practitioner when imposing the fine.
Lim, who is also secretary-general of the People’s Alliance for Reform, is now back in Singapore following his arrest and deportation from Malaysia.
Police said investigations into the circumstances of his departure remain ongoing.