Singapore arrests Lim Tean after Malaysia deports him from Johor
What's next: He could face up to three more years in jail or a fine if prosecutors pursue his failure to surrender for sentence.
Singapore police arrested lawyer and opposition politician Lim Tean on Aug. 11 after Malaysian authorities handed him over following his detention in Johor Bahru. Lim, 61, had failed to report to the State Courts on Aug. 3 to begin serving a three-month-and-one-week jail term for practicing law without a valid certificate, prompting a warrant for his arrest that day. Police said they are also investigating how he left Singapore. Two Singaporean men were charged on Aug. 8 with allegedly helping arrange his departure on Aug. 4. Lim was convicted in 2024 under the Legal Profession Act; his original six-week sentence was increased by the High Court in February 2026 after prosecutors appealed.