Mr Justice Bodey has ruled that the divorce can be heard in England because the wife, Pauline Chai, a former Miss Malaysia, has strong links through living with her child in Hertfordshire to going to the local church. England is known for being generous to the homemakers in divorce cases - and that is not what the husband, Laura Ashley chair Tan Sri Khoo Kay Peng, will want. The fortune at stake is said to be about £400m. 

Concurrent jurisdiction

Mr Justice Body urged the two parties to settle, and warned of the possibility of both Malaysia and England giving judgments if the current court actions continue: ‘Both jurisdictions could then exercise a concurrent jurisdiction over the same divorce – which is a nightmare.’  Both sides have been presenting detailed evidence about their ties to England, including the number of shoes that Miss Chai keeps there. She said she had 700 pairs there while he said the number was between 20 and 40. Source: Financial Times