Two men charged over alleged arrangements for Lim Tean to leave Singapore illegally

However, the 61-year-old did not show up, and his lawyer and bailor could not contact him.

Authorities in Singapore subsequently issued an arrest warrant for Lim, and he was arrested by the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) in Johor Bahru on Thursday.

SPF is working closely with RMP to secure his return to Singapore.

A spokesperson from the Singapore courts earlier told CNA that Lim had originally been directed to surrender at 12pm on Jul 20 to begin his jail term.

However, on Jul 17, the Court of Appeal approved a request from Lim to defer his sentence and ordered him to surrender at 12pm on Aug 3 instead.

Lim was convicted in July 2024 by Senior District Judge Ong Hian Sun after a trial.

His original sentence was six weeks’ jail and a S$1,000 (US$780) fine, but that was increased to three months and one week after a judge agreed with the prosecution that it was “manifestly inadequate”.

Lim was declared bankrupt in April. In the same month, he was also fined S$30,000 over his conduct in handling a former client’s money.

Lim is the founder of Peoples Voice and secretary-general of the People’s Alliance for Reform, an alliance of opposition parties.

At last year’s General Election, Lim came third in a three-cornered contest in Potong Pasir SMC, behind the People’s Action Party’s Alex Yeo and the Singapore People’s Party’s Williamson Lee.