The High Court has dismissed a preliminary objection raised by court-appointed administrators managing the RM1.6 billion estate of the late Lim Siew Kim, clearing the way for further proceedings in the ongoing family dispute.
Judicial Commissioner Mahazan Mat Taib ruled in favour of Marcus Chan Jau Chwen, son of Siew Kim and grandson of Genting founder Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong. In delivering her decision, Mahazan said the administrators’ contention that Marcus had introduced new evidence through his written submissions was unfounded.
She held that Marcus had relied solely on documents already before the court, and that such references did not amount to the introduction of fresh factual material.
“That constitutes a submission based on documents already on record, so it does not amount to the introduction of new evidence,” she said, describing the objection as misconceived and overruling it.
Hearing On Removal Application To Continue
Counsel for the administrators had argued that parts of Marcus’s submissions contained new factual allegations not pleaded in the affidavit evidence. However, following the court’s ruling, the parties proceeded with the hearing of Marcus’s application to remove the administrators. The matter is scheduled to resume on March 4.
Lim Siew Kim passed away in July 2022, leaving behind an estate valued at RM1.6 billion. The estate has since been placed under administrators pendente lite amid a legal battle over the validity of her will.
In November 2023, the High Court appointed lawyer Datuk Satharuban Sivasubramaniam and Khoo Siew Kiat to oversee the estate after two of Siew Kim’s daughters filed a probate action challenging a will purportedly executed in April that year.
Allegations Of Misconduct
Marcus, who is entitled to 30 per cent of the residuary estate, is seeking the removal of both administrators, alleging misconduct and failure to comply with court orders.
Among the issues raised are claims that payments were made from individual bank accounts instead of consolidated trust accounts. He further alleged that estate funds had been diminished through wrongful disbursements and that the administrators interfered in the management of related companies.
Marcus also contended that the administrators nearly caused the estate to settle RM4.73 million in assessments on behalf of Prominview Sdn Bhd, despite asserting that the liability should have been borne by a joint venture partner.
Additional grievances include the lodging of private caveats and the undertaking of property valuations without authority to distribute estate assets.
On Jan 23, 2026, Marcus obtained an ad interim injunction restraining the administrators from acting on behalf of the estate pending the disposal of his removal application, marking another key development in the high-stakes inheritance dispute.
