SINGAPORE, April 11— Singaporean lawyer and Opposition politician Lim Tean has denied reports that he has been declared bankrupt and said he plans to sue two Singapore-based news outlets for defamation.
Lim said he is “not a bankrupt” and accused both CNA and Mothership of publishing “highly defamatory” articles stating otherwise.
“They sought my comment and I clarified the situation, but I note they went ahead to publish the article with the malicious intent to defame me and cause me harm, despite my clarification,” Lim said in a Facebook statement last night.
“I warned them that I would sue,” he added, saying he had already settled with the petitioning creditor and that “the order of court was never extracted”.
The dispute comes after reports citing a government gazette notice stating that Lim had been declared bankrupt following a court order made on April 2, with trustees appointed to manage his estate.
According to CNA, the Ministry of Law said the court has not annulled the bankruptcy order and no discharge certificate has been issued.
The ministry was also reported noting that being discharged from bankruptcy requires a formal court application or approval from the Official Assignee, which purportedly had not occurred in Lim’s case.
CNA also reported that Lim faces a S$30,000 (RM93,505.60) fine in relation to professional misconduct involving client funds, alongside earlier convictions and pending legal proceedings.
Lim is the founder of the Peoples Voice party and secretary-general of the People’s Alliance for Reform, a coalition of Opposition parties.
