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Published: Tuesday January 25, 2011 MYT 4:58:00 PM
Woman who hurt her maid gets 8-year jail term enhanced to 11 years
By NURBAITI HAMDAN
KUALA LUMPUR: A single mother of two was in shock when her eight-year jail sentence for hurting her maid was increased to 11 years after her appeal was dismissed by a High Court.
Hau Yuan Tyng, 45, a freelance real estate agent, kept turning back to look at her relatives who were seated at the public gallery when judge Justice Ghazali Cha read his judgement.
Hau was sentenced to eight years in jail and ordered to pay RM5,000 in compensation to her former maid Siti Hajar Sadli, 35, by a Sessions Court on May 20, 2010.
However, Justice Ghazali amended the jail term after rejecting her appeal against the Sessions Court decision here Tuesday.
Hau was sentenced to five years in jail each for two counts of causing grievous hurt to Siti Hajar using hot water and a hammer and one year jail for hurting the maid with a pair of scissors.
The court ordered the jail time to run consecutively from the date of sentencing. In his ruling, Justice Ghazali said there was no possibility that the injuries were self-inflicted by the victim aimed at getting Hau in trouble.
"Although I symphatise with the applicant, who is a single mother with a disabled child, I do not see any remorse on her part. "Maid abuse cases are rampant.
They are not slaves that we can simply treat them as such. They need protection. “Futhermore this involves the good relation between two neighbouring countries," he said.
The court also granted Hau a stay of execution and fixed bail at RM25,000 in two sureties on the condition that the notice of appeal is filed by Wednesday. DPP Lee Keng Fatt appeared for the prosecution.
