In court on Monday, Miss Tasiyem was in tears when she claimed her employer (above) also did not pay her salary for 18 months. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
She also made maid sleep with dogs in the balcony and did not pay her for 18 months.By Elena Chong
In court on Monday, Miss Tasiyem was in tears when she claimed her employer (above) also did not pay her salary for 18 months. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
ANGRY with her Indonesian maid over the damp clothes that she had left on a sofa, a woman poured two cups of hot water into her mouth and later on her back when she was bending down to pick up dog food in the balcony where she slept with the pets.
Miss Tasiyem, 25, recounted these abuses at the trial of her former employer, Brenda Tan Bee Khim, 40, who has denied scalding her at her Tampines Street 72 flat on May 15, 2006.
Four days after the alleged incident, Tan sent the Indonesian maid home to Kebumen, a village in Central Java.
Her family members found out about her injuries and took her to hospital where she was warded from May 20 to 26 that year.
In court on Monday, Miss Tasiyem was in tears when she claimed her employer also did not pay her salary for 18 months.
She started working for the family in June 2004 and her chores included cleaning the house, looking after the baby and tending to dogs.
At the time she said her employer had seven dogs.
Recounting the scalding on May 15 that year, she said she woke up at about 6am and her employer scolded her about the laundry she had left in the living room.
Miss Tasiyem said Tan forced some hot water into her mouth and she spat it out.
Tan then told her to wipe the floor. She then boiled some water in an electric kettle.
While she was still mopping the floor, the dogs started barking at the balcony.
Miss Tasiyem said that Tan, who was afraid that her neighbours might complain, told her to stop the dogs from barking.
While Miss Tasiyem knelt down to pick up dog food, she felt a burning sensation, turned around and saw Tan holding a mug in her hand.
Mr Ranjit Singh, defending, said nothing happened that day. But Miss Tasiyem told Tan's father the next day that she had scalded herself.
The defence claims that Ms Tasiyem refused medical treatment and had every opportunity to make a complaint during the four days but did not.
The hearing has been adjourned to a later date.
