Businessman Noridan Spee Yee - who bears the honorific Datuk title - today revealed his side of the story to allegations that religious authorities had barred him form marrying because he already had five wives.

Denying the allegation, the 45-year-old businessman said he does not have five wives but was married three times in 1986, 1996 and 2004.

All three marriages, he was quoted as saying by Bernama, had ended in divorce.

The electrical contractor, who hails from Kedah, challenged the Kulim District Kadi Sheikh Alauddin Datuk Abu Bakar to prove the claims that he had five wives.

On Monday, it was reported that Noridan's application to solemnise his marriage with Siti Insiah Abdul Wahab, 24, at the AsySyahidin Mosque was disallowed because he could not proof that he had divorced his other five wives.

As the marriage on March 5 was not allowed, the wedding reception was turned into a kenduri arwah (memorial service) attended by about 1000 people minus the couple.

Married in Thailand

Asked why he couldn't furnish the divorce documents as requested, Noridan said it was the responsibility of the religious department to look for it.

Noridan said he had mentioned to the department the states where he got married and this would have made it easy for them to trace the records.

On allegations that he eloped with his would be bride after the marriage was disallowed, Noridan said they went to Thailand to get married.

He said they were married on March 8 and the Tanah Merah Religious Department in Kelantan endorsed their marriage certificate on March 12.

Siti Insiah's parents were informed of the marriage, he added.

Yesterday, it was reported that the businessman had gone missing with his new bride since March 6.