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Singapore woman sentenced to 30 years in prison for killing Burmese housekeeper she tortured and starved

bynewsdesk
June 23, 2021

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Singaporean Gaiyathiri Murugayan pleaded guilty in February to culpable homicide among 28 counts related to her abuse of Piang Ngaih Don, who was 24 and suffered 14 months of beatings that culminated in her death in 2016.

Judge See Kee Oon said that although Murugayan, 40, suffered from significant psychiatric problems, the offenses she committed were heinous and intentional.

“The extremely aggravated and horrific circumstances of the offenses are crucial considerations that tip the scales towards retribution and deterrence,” the judge said upon sentencing, according to a transcript provided by the court.

“She was aware of her actions and determined in her conduct. She did not lack the ability to understand what she was doing.”

Murugayan’s attorney, Joseph Chen, said a family member of his client asked her to appeal for a shorter prison term of 15 to 16 years so that she could still spend time with her. children after his release.

Imagine having to live with your boss. This is the case for nearly 400,000 women in Hong Kong.

“People with psychiatric disorders see it differently, they cannot get out of the situation,” he told Reuters. “For the family member, the 30-year sentence is as severe as life imprisonment.”

Domestic workers in Asia and their supporters have long reported serious exploitation and abuse by employers, as well as poor or unsafe working and living conditions. Most of these domestic workers are migrants from Southeast Asian countries, including Myanmar, Indonesia and the Philippines, and are afforded little protection under the laws of their host countries.

In Hong Kong, for example – a major destination for Filipino workers – there are no laws regarding the maximum number of working hours per day or per week, meaning many are forced to work 16 hours per day or more.
In Singapore, the plight of domestic workers gained attention in 2012 – in May of the same year, 10 domestic workers had fallen to death high-rise apartments while performing tasks such as window cleaning. A number of these deaths occur each year, despite laws in place to prevent hazardous tasks, due to lack of enforcement by authorities, activists say.
Despite calls for change over the years, there has been little improvement or real reform. A 2017 study involving nearly 800 domestic workers in Singapore, it was found that around 60% of them were exploited by employers, with workers reporting low wages, little downtime and verbal and physical violence.

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