SINGAPORE – Former Singapore Idol judge Ken Lim Chih Chiang was on Wednesday (June 28) handed five new charges for sexual offences.

Lim, 59, who is also the executive director of record label Hype Records, is accused of insulting the modesty of three women, who were all artistes.

Between 1998 and 1999, while at his home, he allegedly played his first victim a porn video which showed a woman engaging in penetrative sex with multiple men.

During the same period at the Hype Records office, he allegedly said to the same woman that she was sexually inexperienced and that he could help her with this.

Between 1999 and 2002 at Hype Records, he allegedly asked a second victim whether she was a virgin, how could she write deeper songs if she was sexually inexperienced, whether he could be her first sex partner, and how she pleasured herself sexually.

During that period he also allegedly asked her to write out her sexual fantasies as homework and offered himself as a sexual partner to fulfil her sexual fantasies.

In 2013, at Hype Records, he allegedly told a third person that if she could have sex for nothing, why not have sex for something. He also allegedly made the gesture of unbuckling his belt and removing his belt strap.

Lim had been charged on March 20 with one count of molestation.

He had allegedly molested a 25-year-old woman by touching her breast via skin-to-skin contact on Nov 23, 2021, at the Hype Records office in Henderson Road.

Lim was on Wednesday accompanied by his wife, former recording artiste Judy Hsu. The couple have two sons.

Lim, who was wearing a black T-shirt and wearing a mask, folded his arms as the judge and prosecutor spoke about redacting details – including the names and ages of the first three victims.

Lim set up Hype Records in 1992.

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The show promoter and entertainment company’s artiste portfolio includes actresses Chen Liping and Phyllis Quek, and singers like Taufik Batisah, the first winner of Singapore Idol.

Lim was the chief judge on Singapore Idol from 2004 to 2009, where he was known for his deadpan expression and curt criticism.

The contest made household names of singers like Hady Mirza, Sezairi Sezali and Tabitha Nauser.

Lim later created another reality singing competition called The Final 1 and was a judge on the show for its first and second seasons in 2013 and 2015.

For each count of insulting a woman’s modesty, if found guilty, he can be jailed for up to a year, fined or both.

If convicted of outrage of modesty, he can be jailed for up to three years and fined. The punishment also includes caning, but those above the age of 50 are spared.

He will return to court on July 7.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.