TWO interim administrators of the RM1.6 billion estate of late Genting heiress Lim Siew Kim can resume their duties after the High Court today lifted an injunction barring them from acting, following the dismissal of a bid to remove them.
Judge Datuk Mahazan Mat Taib dismissed an application by Siew Kim's son, Marcus Chan Jau Chwen, to remove lawyer Datuk S. Satharuban Sivasubramaniam and Khoo Siew Kiat as administrators of the estate.
The court also ordered Marcus to pay RM30,000 in costs to the two administrators.
In dismissing the application, Mahazan ruled that Marcus had failed to establish misconduct, persistent breaches of duty, disqualifying conflicts of interest or other sufficiently serious grounds to warrant 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.
The judge stressed that the administrators remained accountable for their management of the estate, including safeguarding its assets and complying with the terms of their appointment.
On allegations involving companies linked to the estate, Mahazan said the administrators could not automatically classify the companies' liabilities as estate debts merely because Siew Kim held shares in them.
However, they remained entitled to obtain relevant information and take lawful action to protect the estate's shareholdings.
She also found insufficient evidence of unlawful interference in the companies' affairs or misuse of estate funds to justify removing the administrators.
The ruling does not determine the validity of Siew Kim's will or the beneficiaries' entitlements.
Marcus had sought the administrators' removal over alleged misconduct and non-compliance with the court order governing their appointment.
Among his allegations were that payments to solicitors and other parties had been channelled through individual bank accounts instead of consolidated trust accounts, allegedly resulting in the depletion of estate funds.
He also claimed 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 concerned alleged interference in companies linked to the estate, the lodging of private caveats and property valuations.
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 application.
Siew Kim, who died of cancer in July 2022 at the age of 73, left behind three daughters and a son.
The High Court appointed Satharuban and Khoo as administrators pendente lite on Nov 27, 2023, following a probate suit filed by two of her daughters, Chan T'shiao Li and Kimberly Chan T'shiao Miin, on Jan 19, 2023, challenging a will purportedly executed on April 28, 2022.
Marcus is a 30 per cent beneficiary of the residuary estate. - November 13, 2026
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