KWEK HONG LIM (GUO FENGLIN) v KWEK SUM CHUAN

[2023] SGHC 67 High Court (General Division) 23 March 2023 HC/S 1234/2020

10 cases cited (9 SG, 1 foreign) Cited by 1 case

Key facts

Court	High Court (General Division)
Decided	23 March 2023
Judge	Hoo Sheau Peng
Charges / claim	Contract, Evidence
Counsel	LVM Law Chambers LLC, TanLim Partnership, Law May Ning, Lim Chee San, Lok Vi Ming, Qabir Singh Sandhu

Source: [2023] SGHC 67, High Court (General Division), decided 23 March 2023 — eLitigation. Updated 10 July 2026.

Catchwords

Contract — Formation — Oral agreement Evidence — Admissibility of evidence Contract — Formation — Certainty of terms Contract — Intention to create legal relations

Practice Areas

Contract Evidence

Judges (1)

Hoo Sheau Peng Delivered

Counsel (6)

LVM Law Chambers LLC Firm

TanLim Partnership Firm

Law May Ning Counsel for the defendant

Lim Chee San Counsel for the plaintiff

Lok Vi Ming Counsel for the defendant Qabir Singh Sandhu Counsel for the defendant

Parties (2)

Kwek Hong Lim Plaintiff

Kwek Sum Chuan Defendant

Case Significance

Kwek Hong Lim v Kwek Sum Chuan [2023] SGHC 67 was decided in the General Division of the High Court by Hoo Sheau Peng J, with judgment reserved on 23 March 2023, in Suit No 1234 of 2020. In an action by a son against his father, the plaintiff Mr Kwek Hong Lim claimed against the defendant Mr Kwek Sum Chuan 60% of the shareholding in YES Supermarket Pte Ltd and 60% of a property at 201B Tampines Street 21 #01-1091, based on an alleged oral agreement said to have been entered into in late 2011, which the defendant denied. Having considered the evidence and submissions, the court dismissed the plaintiff's claim.

Summary

In an action brought by a son against his father, Kwek Hong Lim claimed 60% of the shareholding in YES Supermarket Pte Ltd and 60% of a Tampines property based on an alleged oral agreement said to have been made in late 2011. The father denied the agreement's existence, and issues arose over its formation and certainty of terms. The court found the plaintiff had failed to prove the alleged oral agreement, holding the terms unworkable and uncertain, and dismissed the claim.

What was the outcome of Kwek Hong Lim v Kwek Sum Chuan [2023] SGHC 67?

Hoo Sheau Peng J dismissed the plaintiff Mr Kwek Hong Lim's claim against his father, the defendant Mr Kwek Sum Chuan, for 60% of the shares in YES Supermarket Pte Ltd and 60% of a Tampines property based on an alleged oral agreement from late 2011.

What did the plaintiff claim in Kwek Hong Lim v Kwek Sum Chuan ([2023] SGHC 67)?

The plaintiff claimed 60% of the shareholding in YES Supermarket Pte Ltd and 60% of a property at 201B Tampines Street 21 #01-1091, relying on an alleged oral agreement entered into in late 2011, which the defendant denied existed.