KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian businessman divorced both his wives in three minutes, pronouncing 'talaq' by using the short messaging service (SMS) in front of a lower court judge.

Roslan Ngah, 44, informed the media in advance about his intention but the latter took it as an April Fool's joke, till it actually happened, The Star newspaper said on Wednesday. He admitted that the two wives, having become "close friends", had actually sought the divorce together and he felt sad about it.

"They are like good friends but I never imagined that both of them had collectively decided to divorce me," he said. His relationships with them had been strained. But he could "never imagine" that both would seek separation from him, said the newspaper. The newspaper did not explain why Ngah had sought to use the SMS while in Kuala Terrenganu's Lower Syariah Court.

He first pronounced 'talaq' (intention to divorce) to his second wife Mastura Ahmad, 35, then to Norhayati Ismail, 46, before judge Wan Abdul Malik Wan Sidek. The judge said this was the first time in the court's history that two wives had sought a divorce at the same time.

Norhayati, a homemaker, has four children (aged nine to 22) with Roslan after marrying him in 1986. Mastura, a nurse at the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital, has two, aged six and 10, following their marriage in 1995. Both women looked composed during the proceedings. Accompanying Norhayati was her eldest daughter, Nurfarhana, 19.

The divorces were made under Section 44 of the Terengganu Syariah Enactment. Roslan confessed that he was also married to another woman in 2001 and they were blessed with a baby girl but they separated in 2004. When asked whether he would remarry, Roslan replied: "If my fate says so, I have no qualms and this time I hope that my marriage will last forever".

Source : IANS