Woman jailed for assaulting maid over chores in Singapore

A 67-year-old woman in Singapore will spend four months in jail for physically abusing her domestic worker over perceived shortcomings in household chores. The victim, a 27-year-old national from Myanmar, endured repeated assaults including slapping, punching, and scratching that drew blood.

The abuse began in September 2022 when the employer, Hazel Phang Fong Yen, became angry after the maid failed to check an expiry date on a food item. This led to the first slap. Subsequent incidents involved the maid not hearing a request for help, resulting in another slap, and cleaning soap bottles inadequately, which provoked a punch to the eye.

In October 2022, Phang escalated the violence, scratching the maid's neck and chest until she bled after she hung bedsheets improperly. Later that month, Phang again scratched the maid's face, causing bleeding, when she was delayed in watering plants due to cooking for the employer's husband. The maid, who earned S$470 a month, reported the abuse during a routine call from the Centre for Domestic Employees, prompting a police investigation. Phang was also ordered to pay S$4,440 in compensation to the victim.