SINGAPORE: An Indonesian maid was hospitalized after falling from

SINGAPORE: An Indonesian maid was hospitalized after falling from a four-story Singapore flat while hanging out the laundry on Tuesday. She was reported in stable condition.

Her employer told the local media that the maid lost her balance and fell out the window. The accident was witnessed by another maid, who quickly got help. The maid plunged head first and was bleeding profusely, other witnesses said.

Compulsory tests for new maids from Indonesia will start next month to help prepare the women for their duties in Singapore, the Indonesian Embassy announced this week.

The maids will take an oral test in basic English and a practical one on various household tasks, such as hanging out the laundry and taking care of children, during their stay on Batam.

Ninety-six Indonesian maids have died in the city-state since 1999, according to the embassy, most falling from windows while cleaning them or hanging out the laundry.

Many come from rural areas and have no experience with high- rise living. About one-third of the 140,000 maids in Singapore are from Indonesia. --DPA