‘I didn’t know he was a wanted criminal’: Owner of JB condo unit says Lim Tean left behind clothes and unfinished cup of tea
A cup of unfinished milk tea, several shirts, a pair of trousers, underwear, and several English books were all Lim Tean left behind in the Johor Bahru (JB) condominium apartment he was found in, according to the unit’s owner.
The owner, who declined to be named, told Shin Min Daily News that the unit at Southkey Mosaic had been booked, paid for, and checked into by a man named Mohammad Adam.
She said she was surprised when police contacted her.
At the police’s request, she checked the booking records and found that only Adam was registered as a guest from Aug 3 to 7. However, condominium security officers reviewed CCTV footage and confirmed that after Adam collected the access card and keys, Lim was the one who checked into the unit.
“When the police came, I did not know he was a wanted criminal. He looked like an ordinary uncle and did not look fierce or threatening. I only knew that he was Singaporean,” she said.
Adam was one of the two men charged with allegedly helping Lim leave Singapore. The opposition politician had reportedly travelled to JB after failing to turn up at the State Court on Aug 3 to commence his jail term for practising law without a certificate.
The 61-year-old secretary-general of the People’s Alliance for Reform was later apprehended at the condominium unit after a two-hour standoff with the police on Aug 6, and was handed over to Singapore authorities on Aug 11.
‘He was quite a clean tenant’: Owner
According to Shin Min Daily News, the unit Lim stayed in was a one-bedroom apartment that cost about RM100 (S$30) per night. It was furnished with a double bed, television, dining table, sofa, Wi-Fi, washing machine, refrigerator and iron.
The owner said that Adam was originally scheduled to check out on Aug 7, but Lim was arrested on Aug 6.
“The police told us not to touch anything in the unit that day, and that we could only enter and clean it after the checkout time the next day,” she said.
The owner said Lim left behind several items, including:
- English books
- A grey shirt
- A blue shirt
- A pair of black trousers
- Two pairs of underwear
“We did not think he would come back to collect his belongings, so everything was thrown away,” she said.
The owner added that Lim had kept the unit relatively clean.
“When we cleaned the room, there actually wasn’t much rubbish. He was quite a clean tenant,” she said.
She also found a cup of milk tea in the unit, of which only a few sips had been taken. She speculated that Lim might have prepared it shortly before his arrest.
“Maybe he was going to drink the tea that day, but when the police came, he no longer felt like drinking it,” she said.
Condominium is well-equipped and has tight security
During a visit, Shin Min found that occupants of the unit where Lim reportedly stayed had to scan a QR code to gain entry.
As for lift usage, residents can only reach the floor where they are staying by using their access cards, as well as the seventh floor, where shared facilities are located.
The owner explained that the condominium had stringent security measures.
“There are CCTV cameras on every floor. Even if there is a criminal here, they can be found quickly, so we are not too worried. The owners here also maintain close relationships with the security guards,” she said.
Access card missing, owner pays to change locks
After Lim’s arrest, the unit’s keys and access card could not be found, prompting the owner to spend more than RM200 (S$63) to replace the door lock and access cards.
She said she contacted the police after failing to retrieve the keys and access card. The police subsequently told her they would ask Lim about them, but there had been no further updates.
“I was left with no choice. I have already replaced the door lock and access cards,” she said.
She added that she could not open the wooden door that day and paid RM120 to hire a locksmith.
The owner stressed that when guests rent the unit through a platform, landlords are unable to know beforehand whether they are wanted by the authorities.
“We follow the procedures, and the management will ask guests for their details,” she said.
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