Singaporean man sues Malaysian ex-girlfriend for over S$100K after she ‘falsely led him on’ for money and married another man

Summary

• Singaporean man, Low, sought more than S$100,000 and RM21,600 from his Malaysian ex-girlfriend over financial benefits given during their relationship.

• A default judgment in September 2022 ordered a Malaysian woman, Goh, to repay the sums, plus interest and S$2,781.20 in legal costs.

• On Oct 5, Deputy Registrar Lewis Tan set aside the judgment, allowing both sides to argue their cases at trial.

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean man’s attempt to recover more than S$100,000 from his former girlfriend has returned to court, after a judge reopened the case over legal questions that need a full trial.

Low claims he gave Goh, a Malaysian, substantial financial support because he believed they were in an exclusive relationship that would lead to marriage. Court records show that the pair met in 2008 while working at the Singapore branch of the same company. Their relationship began in 2009, according to Low’s account.

Low said the money covered Goh’s insurance premiums, personal expenses, and business ventures. He also bought jewellery intended as an engagement gift and claimed he transferred S$31,510 towards a future matrimonial home in Malaysia. He further sought RM21,600, worth about S$6,800, in addition to the Singapore-dollar claims.

He claims she took his money while dating another man

Low discovered in 2015 that Goh had been involved with another man, whom she later married. He alleged that she had misled him about their relationship to obtain financial benefits.

Low believed Goh had been “falsely leading him on” because she wanted his money. Goh acknowledged receiving the money but maintained that the payments were voluntary gifts. She said they had never agreed to an exclusive relationship.

When Low sued in February 2022, Goh didn’t participate in the proceedings. A default judgment followed in September that year, ordering her to pay S$100,802.99, RM21,600, interest and legal costs.

Goh applied to have the judgment set aside in April 2026, saying she hadn’t received the court papers. Deputy Registrar Lewis Tan found that the documents had been served through several approved channels, including social media accounts.

However, the judge ruled on Oct 5 that the judgment should be set aside because Goh had raised substantial legal defences that deserved a full hearing.

Delays and missing records complicate the dispute

The judge noted that Low began legal action more than eight years after the last alleged transfer in December 2013. Some payments were made in cash, and he couldn’t produce records made at the time.

The court also found that his unjust enrichment claim might face legal obstacles because other legal claims could apply. Questions about time limits and the alleged trust over the property funds also need to be examined.

The ruling doesn’t mean Low’s claims have been dismissed or that Goh has been cleared of wrongdoing. Both sides will have the chance to present evidence at trial.

Paying for her expenses, business ventures and a future home

Romantic relationships can involve shared plans and substantial financial support, but the legal status of that money may be disputed when a relationship ends.

Anyone giving large sums towards a partner’s business or property should keep bank records and written agreements stating whether the money is a gift, loan or contribution towards a shared asset.

Good records cannot prevent every dispute, but they can help establish what both parties understood when the money changed hands.