Maid recalls boss' words: Yuki, bite

She also describes how housewife threw knife and stool at her


AN INDONESIAN maid had more to say about the alleged abuses she suffered - including being bitten twice by a pet dog - on the second day of a housewife's trial yesterday.

The 23-year-old maid recounted in a district court how Tay Siew Hoon, her employer, threw a stool, a dog's bowl, and a knife at her.

But the maid managed to deflect them with the stool. That was when the woman ordered her pet dog to bite her, she claimed.

She decided to pack up that morning and left for the Indonesian embassy.

Tay, 51, has claimed trial to nine charges - four allegedly committed on Sept 23, 2005 and five on March 21 last year at her Changi home.

She is accused, among other things, of ordering her dog to bite the maid, and of molesting her and gripping her neck.

The maid told the court it was about 1am one day in September 2005 when Tay suddenly opened her room's door.

Tay pulled her hair from behind, turned her around, pushed her and slapped her on both cheeks, she alleged.

Tay gave her a few more hard slaps and a few strands of her hair fell from the woman's grip on her head.

She cried out when she felt a pain in her buttocks. She turned around and saw that Tay had hit her with a stool which she then threw at her.

The pet bowl and knife followed but were deflected by the stool which she had picked up.

Tay then called in her shih tzu Yuki, a toy breed. Carrying the diminutive dog, Tay said: 'Yuki, bite'' .

It bit her on her right thigh several times, and her thigh bled.

She cried and yelled out in pain and tried to push the dog away.

Meanwhile, Tay had walked out to switch on the television to high volume before returning to cover the maid's mouth, saying 'diam diam'' (Malay for quiet).

This time, the dog bit the maid on her left arm.

She ran out of the room to Tay's son's room. He and his father, Mr Kim Hua Siang, helped put a plaster on her wound.

The maid then said she wanted to go to the agent. But Mr Kim told her to wait till her wound had healed. He gave her a Panadol to relieve her pain.

The maid said she did not sleep the rest of the morning.

Later that morning, she packed her bags and left for the Indonesian embassy.

A police report was made and she was examined by a doctor in hospital.

The hearing continues on Monday.