Indonesian maid falls from Singapore flat

Indonesian maid falls from Singapore flat

SINGAPORE (Agencies): An Indonesian maid died after falling
from a Singapore apartment, becoming the seventh foreign domestic
helper to topple from a flat while cleaning windows since last
year, it was reported on Saturday.

Rini Suryanti died at the National University Hospital from
severe injuries after falling from a third-story apartment
belonging to her employer's sister, The Straits Times said.

Police are investigating the incident. Regulations on overseas
maids require they only work at the address of the official
employer as designated in their work permit.

The Foreign Ministry has urged employers not to assign window-
cleaning to maids working in high-rises. The 31-year-old woman
tumbled only days after starting work in the city state.

Just a few days earlier a Singapore woman was sentenced to 15
months in jail for abusing her Indonesian maid.

Wong Suet Peng, 37, struck the maid with a metal rod, burned
her with an iron and broke a bone in her foot by stepping on it,
police spokesman Phillip Mah said.

Wong, a housewife, was sentenced on Wednesday after pleading
guilty to four charges of hurting the maid, 27-year-old Winarsih
Sukirno, Mah told the Associated Press.

Wong was angry with the maid for not cleaning adequately, The
Straits Times newspaper quoted defense attorney Edmond Pereira as
saying. The lawyer added that Wong was undergoing psychiatric
treatment.

The abuse was revealed after Winarsih dropped notes from
Wong's apartment to another Indonesian maid working on a lower
floor, Mah said.