A Laura Ashley boss worth £440 million has been ordered to pay his estranged former beauty queen wife £400,000 after he failed to persuade a judge that he has 'cash flow ' problems . Lord Justice McFarlane today said it was 'very hard to understand ' how someone of Khoo Kay Peng 's wealth had 'cash flow difficulty ' after he claimed he needed a month in order to borrow money and pay Pauline Chai . The couple , who were together for more than 40 years and have five children , have been locked in a bitter divorce battle for two years . Laura Ashley boss Khoo Kay Peng ( right ) , who is worth £440 million , has been ordered to pay his estranged wife Pauline Chai £400,000 after he failed to persuade a judge that he has 'cash flow ' problems . The judge was analysing the latest stage of the couple 's money fight at a hearing in the Court of Appeal in London during which he was told that Dr Khoo owed Ms Chai around £400,000 . He had been ordered to pay the amount to cover her living expenses and legal fees pending final decisions on money , but his lawyers claimed there was a 'cash flow ' issue . Dr Khoo , 76 , who is non-executive chairman of Laura Ashley Holdings , and Ms Chai , 68 , have been embroiled in litigation for around two years . Ms Chai estimates that Dr Khoo is worth at least £440 million and says she should get half of that . She also claims he has failed to give a 'proper account ' of his assets , which Dr Khoo disputes . The former couple also can not agree whether decisions about who should get what ought to be made in English or Malaysian courts , and litigation has been launched in both countries . Dr Khoo , who is based in Malaysia , says the marital home was in Malaysia , and that Ms Chai wants to fight in England because an English court will give her a more generous award . Lord Justice McFarlane today said it was 'very hard to understand ' how someone of Khoo Kay Peng 's wealth had 'cash flow difficulty ' after he claimed he needed a month in order to borrow money and pay Ms Chai , a former Miss Malaysia . Ms Chai says they moved their home to Berkhamsted , Hertfordshire , before separating last year and therefore decisions should be made in an English court . And she claims Dr Khoo is making a 'desperate attempt ' to avoid fighting over money in an English court . A number of judges have analysed the dispute at hearings in the Family Division of the High Court in London , and three Court of Appeal judges are due to consider the case at a hearing in July . Lord Justice McFarlane today considered a number of preliminary legal issues prior to that hearing . The judge was told that Dr Khoo owed Ms Chai around £400,000 he had been ordered to pay to cover her living expenses and legal fees pending final decisions on money . A lawyer representing Dr Khoo accepted that the arrears 'must be paid ' but said that was a 'cash flow issue ' . 'We are talking about quite substantial sums , ' said Timothy Scott QC . 'One way or another he has to borrow . ' He added : 'Some time will be needed for the formalities . The appropriate time would be 28 days . ' But Lord Justice McFarlane ruled that the money should be paid in 14 days . 'It is very hard to understand how someone of the wealth of ( Dr Khoo ) has a cash flow difficulty , ' said the judge . ' I am not at all persuaded that there is a cash flow difficulty . ' He added : 'The time has come to be absolutely plain ... These sums need to be paid . '
Pauline Chai , 68 , and Khoo Kay Peng , 76 , split after 43 years of marriage . They are embroiled in money fight over £200 million fortune at Court of Appeal . Dr Khoo owes Ms Chai £400,000 to cover her living expenses and court costs pending final decisions on money , the court was told . His lawyers claimed there was 'cash flow' problem and he needs to borrow . But he has today been ordered to pay his estranged wife the sum .