Former Malaysian beauty queen fights for divorce case to be heard in UK

Former Malaysian beauty queen, Pauline Chai, fights for divorce case to be heard in UK. Photo credit: Telegraph.co.uk

KUALA LUMPUR: Former beauty queen Pauline Chai is pushing to have her divorce case with tycoon Tan Sri Khoo Kay Peng be carried out in the British courts based on the vast collection of designer shoes as proof that she is living in the United Kingdom.

Chai, 67, told the court she has more than 700 pairs of shoe kept in the bedrooms, corridors and the basement of the couple’s RM156 million home in Hertfordshire.

The former Miss Malaysia 1969 is fighting for her case to be heard in the UK, where she is likely to receive a bigger settlement from the divorce.

Meanwhile, 75-year-old Khoo, chairman of international brand Laura Ashley, wants the case to be heard in Malaysia, where he is based.

'I have got like 1,000 pairs of shoes,' Chai told the High Court on Friday.

'All these were added up from 43 years. I accumulate them,” reported The Telegraph.co.uk

Khoo’s lawyer had presented photographs of Chai’ wardrobes in Kuala Lumpur to the court, claiming she had just as much designer apparels stored at other homes.

Chai responded by saying that was only a ‘small part of her collection’ and that she left them behind because they were out of date, while the handbags were too ‘chunky’ to be carried.

"When you have houses all over the world and you travel so much [you have some at each house] so you don't have to carry it all along with you," Chai was quoted as saying.

The couple, who have five children together, is embroiled in a bitter and expensive divorce case that has reportedly raked up nearly RM10 million in lawyers’ fees. Chai filed a divorce petition in London in February against Khoo, citing unreasonable behaviour.

Khoo, who owns 40 per cent of Laura Ashley and international investment holding company Malayan United Industries Bhd, is among the wealthiest person in Malaysia.

Chai denied that she is not divorcing her husband for settlement money but to get away from “an abusive, oppressive relationship.”

She had earlier accused the tycoon of rationing her food and forbidding her from leaving their house without his permission.

- source: Astro Awani

Bot karam: Mayat ibu ditemui, dua anaknya masih hilang

Mayat Rosmiwati, 37, ditemui pasukan mencari dan menyelamat pada pukul 5.45 petang kira-kira 100 meter dari tempat kejadian.

PASIR MAS: Mayat pegawai Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat Jerantut, Rosmiwati Zakaria, yang hilang bersama dua anaknya dalam tragedi perahu terbalik di Sungai Golok, Rantau Panjang, ditemui lebih dua jam selepas kejadian itu, hari ini.

Ketua Balai Bomba dan Penyelamat Rantau Panjang, Rahmat Kamaruzaman berkata mayat Rosmiwati, 37, ditemui pasukan mencari dan menyelamat pada pukul 5.45 petang kira-kira 100 meter dari tempat kejadian.

"Dua lagi anaknya Wan Nurdina Nadia Wan Azli, 10, dan Wan Nurhabib Naufal, 6, masih belum ditemui dan operasi mencari dan menyelamat akan disambung pada pukul 8 pagi esok.

"Bagaimanapun operasi mencari di tepi tebing sungai diteruskan," katanya kepada pemberita di lokasi kejadian.

Beliau berkata mayat Rosmiwati dihantar ke Hospital Pasir Mas di Kampung Lati di sini untuk dibedah siasat.

Dalam kejadian kira-kira pada pukul 3.30 petang itu, keluarga berkenaan dikatakan baru sahaja pulang daripada membeli belah di Pasar Mundok, Sungai Golok, yang hanya terletak di seberang sungai sebelah negara jiran itu sempena Aidiladha esok.

Ketika kejadian, bot berkenaan dikatakan dinaiki seramai 15 orang dan terbalik dalam keadaan arus deras berikutan hujan lebat sebelum itu.

Bagaimanapun mangsa yang lain berjaya diselamatkan oleh orang ramai dan ada yang berenang sehingga ke tebing, manakala tiga beranak itu terus dihanyutkan arus deras.

Rahmat berkata operasi mencari dan menyelamat itu melibatkan tujuh anggota dari Balai Bomba Rantau Panjang dan masing-masing empat anggota pasukan penyelamat di air dari Kota Baharu dan Pengkalan Kubor.

Turut sama menyertai operasi 10 anggota polis dan 10 anggota Jabatan Pertahanan Awam Malaysia.

Katanya, Rosmiwati dan anak-anaknya yang tinggal di Jerantut pulang untuk berhari raya di kampungnya di Pintu Geng, Kota Baharu.

Sementara itu, adik Rosmiwati, Nor Fatin Adiani, 23, ketika ditemui di tempat kejadian berkata, mereka sekeluarga serta sanak-saudara dan rakan-rakan seramai 11 orang ke Pasar Mundok bagi membeli belah bagi persiapan Aidiladha.

"Sebahagian besar kami telah pulang lebih awal dan menunggu di kenderaan masing-masing.

"Kemudiannya kami dimaklumkan ada perahu terbalik dan apabila saya pergi ke sana memang ada perahu terbalik di sungai dan tidak sangka ia melibatkan keluarga saya sendiri," katanya.

- Sumber: Bernama