Second RI maid escapes hangman

Second RI maid escapes hangman

Agencies, Jakarta

A 19-year-old Indonesian maid working in Singapore was sentenced
to life in jail on Wednesday for strangling to death her
employer's mother-in-law just days after another Indonesian maid
was jailed for life in a similar case.

Purwanti Parji received the maximum sentence after pleading
guilty to manslaughter, AFP reported.

A number of local non-governmental organizations advocating
migrant workers' rights criticized the rulings, saying they
failed to deliver justice and that the maids had been abused by
their employers.

The Singapore High Court was told during the trial that
Purwanti killed Har Chit Heang, 57, on Aug. 4 last year by
strangling her while she was asleep in her bedroom. She then cut
the victim's wrist to make it look like suicide.

The High Court was told that Purwanti had become angry after
Har scolded her.

Purwanti had been forced to work weekdays for Har and weekends
at the home of the woman's daughter-in-law, her official
employer. It is illegal in Singapore for maids to work in two
households, although it is a common practice.

On Friday, Sundarti Supriyanto, 23, was sentenced to life in
jail after being convicted of murdering her boss, Angie Ng, 33,
and the woman's three-year-old daughter, Crystal, in May 2002.

She avoided the death penalty after the High Court ruled Ng
had abused her.

"The Indonesian government must initiate political diplomacy
to help the maids in Singapore. They do not deserve the death
penalty or life sentences as they are also victims of their
bosses," said the Working Forum for Migrant Workers' Justice in a
statement.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian government said it respected the
Singapore court's decision but would appeal the verdict, an
official said.

"First, we will appeal. Second, we will provide diplomatic
assistance in line with international law," Ferry Adamhar, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs' citizen and corporation protection
director, said as quoted by the detik.com news portal.

Adam said three more Indonesian maids were currently facing
the death penalty on similar charges. He said the government had
provided lawyers for them.