Leong Sze Hian, 72, forfeits S$45,000 as bailor after Lim Tean allegedly absconded to M'sia

Leong Sze Hian, the bailor who posted $45,000 bail for lawyer Lim Tean, will lose the entire bail amount following Lim's failure to surrender for his jail term due to practising law without a valid certificate, a district court ruled on September 17. Lim, 61, missed his Aug 3 court date to begin his sentence and an arrest warrant was subsequently issued.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Bryan Wong criticized Leong for not meeting the standards expected of a bailor, who is responsible for monitoring the accused, reminding them of their obligations, and taking proactive measures to ensure their court appearance. Lim was arrested by the Royal Malaysia Police on August 6 and deported to Singapore on August 11.

Text messages showed that Leong did not maintain daily contact with Lim between July 1 and August 3, with their last communication on August 2, a day before Lim's scheduled surrender. Leong failed to remind Lim of his surrender obligation or check on his whereabouts in the days leading up to August 3 and only contacted Lim after being contacted by a case investigation officer.

Despite having discussions about an intended statement to be published by Lim on August 3, these interactions did not demonstrate that Leong took necessary steps to ensure compliance. Lim, convicted of three charges under the Legal Profession Act in July 2024, initially received a six-week jail sentence and a $1,000 fine, but this was increased to three months and a week by the High Court in February 2026.

The Law Society of Singapore had also called for Lim to be struck off the rolls in a disciplinary case related to a $30,000 cheque meant for his client. Lim's fine was set at $30,000 on April 10.