Granny on trial for maid abuse
Granny on trial for maid abuse
SINGAPORE: A 68-year-old grandmother on trial for maid abuse in Singapore has been accused of forcing an Indonesian domestic servant to eat human feces, among other offenses, a report said on Friday.
Wong Mei Lin faces 10 counts of abusing her son's 26-year-old Indonesian maid, Lestari Riyanto, shortly after she started working for the man in July 2001, the Straits Times said.
The grandmother is accused of using a heated iron and a hot ladle to burn the maid on various parts of her body. She also allegedly splashed hot water on the woman's back and hands.
Wong is also accused of stepping on the maid's right hand while wearing clogs, throwing cat food at her and threatening to kill her family in Indonesia. --AFP
;REUTERS;KOD; ANPAu..r.. Aglance-Malaysia-arms Malaysia seals $368 million Polish tank deal JP/10/ASEAN
KL seals $368m Polish tank deal
MALAYSIA: Malaysia will take delivery of its first main battle tanks from Poland in 2006 in a deal valued at US$368 million, defense ministers from the two countries said on Friday.
Malaysia has pledged to buy 48 tanks and 14 support vehicles from Poland's Foreign Trade Enterprise Bumar Ltd., with payment spread out until 2010, Malaysian Defense Minister Najib Razak said at a signing ceremony.
A source close to the deal said 30 percent of the price would be covered by countertrades involving Malaysian palm oil sales.
In March 2002, Malaysia agreed in principle to buy Polish PT- 91 battle tanks, a modified version of Russia's T-72, which was the most sophisticated tank in Iraq's destroyed army. --Reuters
;AP;KOD; ANPAu..r.. Aglance-Cambodia-Thailand Thailand, Cambodia agree to resume full relations JP/10/ASEAN
Thailand, Cambodia to resume full ties
CAMBODIA: Cambodia and Thailand agreed on Friday to resume full diplomatic relations, suspended after unprecedented anti-Thai riots in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh in January.
The decision was reached during a meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries in the tourist town of Siem Riep in Cambodia, on the sidelines of their meeting to discuss tensions in North Korea.
An official said the move was "a gift" for both countries as Thais and Cambodians celebrate the Songkran New Year festival on Saturday and Sunday.
Thailand cut diplomatic and economic relations with Cambodia after mobs vandalized its embassy and destroyed Thai-owned businesses in Phnom Penh on Jan. 29.
In response, Thailand shut border crossings, withdrew its ambassador and ordered Cambodia's envoy in Bangkok to leave. Cambodia later paid US$5.9 million in compensation for damage to the Thai Embassy. --AP