KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 — The High Court here today dismissed an application by the son of the late Genting heiress Lim Siew Kim to remove two interim administrators overseeing the RM1.6 billion estate.
Judge Datuk Mahazan Mat Taib dismissed Marcus Chan Jau Chwen’s application against lawyer Datuk S. Satharuban and Khoo Siew Kiat and ordered him to pay RM30,000 in costs to the two administrators.
The court also discharged the interim injunction restraining the two from acting as administrators of the estate, allowing them to resume their duties under the court’s supervision.
In her ruling, Mahzan said Marcus had failed to establish misconduct, persistent breaches of duty, a disqualifying conflict of interest or other sufficiently serious circumstances to justify their removal.
“I find that Marcus has failed to establish sufficient grounds for the removal of the joint administrators pendente lite. However, dismissing the application does not amount to blanket approval of every expenditure or transaction undertaken by the administrators.
“Their obligations to account for estate assets, comply with the appointment order and submit their costs and remuneration for examination remain unaffected,” she said.
On allegations of interference in companies linked to the estate, Mahazan said the administrators could not classify the companies’ liabilities as debts of the estate simply on the basis that Siew Kim held shares in those entities.
However, she said they remained responsible for safeguarding the estate’s interests, which could include obtaining relevant information and taking lawful action to protect the value of its shareholdings.
The judge also ruled that the evidence was insufficient to establish unlawful interference in the companies’ affairs or misuse of estate funds warranting the administrators’ removal.
She clarified that the decision did not address the validity of Siew Kim’s will or determine the beneficiaries’ entitlements.
Siew Kim, who died of cancer in July 2022 at the age of 73, left behind three daughters and a son. Her estate has since been administered by interim administrators amid an ongoing family dispute over the validity of her will.
On November 27, 2023, the High Court appointed Satharuban Sivasubramaniam and Khoo as administrators pendente lite to oversee the estate.
Their appointment followed a probate suit filed by two of Siew Kim’s daughters, Chan T’shiao Li and Kimberly Chan T’shiao Miin, on January 19, 2023, challenging the validity of a will said to have been executed on April 28, 2022.
Marcus, Siew Kim’s only son and a 30 per cent beneficiary of the residuary estate, sought the removal of both administrators, alleging misconduct and non-compliance with the court order governing their appointment.
Among his complaints were allegations that certain payments had been made to solicitors and other parties through individual bank accounts instead of consolidated trust accounts, resulting in the wrongful depletion of estate funds.
He also accused the administrators of interfering in the management of companies linked to the estate.
Marcus further alleged that the administrators had nearly caused the estate to pay RM4.73 million in assessments on behalf of Prominview Sdn Bhd, although the liability allegedly rested with a joint-venture partner.
Other complaints included the lodging of private caveats and the commissioning of property valuations despite the administrators allegedly having no authority to distribute or dispose of estate assets.
On January 23, 2026, Marcus obtained an ad interim injunction restraining the administrators from acting on behalf of the estate pending the disposal of his application to remove them. — Bernama
