SINGAPORE - A woman tormented her Indonesian maid multiple times between November 2018 and March 2019 by acts such as forcing her to eat hair from a toilet floor as well as a piece of dirty cotton wool.
Tan Hui Mei, now pregnant with her fourth child, also rained blows on Ms Muslikhah, who goes by one name.
The 35-year-old Singaporean pleaded guilty on Wednesday (May 5) to two counts of assault and was sentenced to eight weeks' jail.
She was also ordered to give Ms Muslikhah, now 26, $3,200 in compensation.
Three other charges involving the maid were considered during sentencing.
The maid started working in Tan's Tampines flat on Nov 17, 2018.
The court heard that her sister was also working as a maid for another household in Singapore.
The following month, Ms Muslikhah called the police and told them that Tan had slapped her. Despite this, she decided to continue working for Tan.
The maid was performing her household chores in the flat on March 30, 2019, when one of Tan's three daughters started crying.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Kathy Chu said that Ms Muslikhah did not attend to the toddler, then 18 months' old, as she thought one of Tan's other family members would do so.
The DPP added: "As the toddler did not stop crying, the accused confronted the victim and asked her why she did not take care of the toddler. The victim tried to explain to the accused but she did not listen.
"The accused slapped the victim on both sides of her face, close to her mouth, and hit the victim's forehead thrice... This caused the victim's... forehead to swell."
Ms Muslikhah did not retaliate and continued with her work.
Tan assaulted Ms Muslikhah again the next day after the maid nodded off while massaging the Singaporean's legs.
Tan pinched Ms Muslikhah's right forearm and told her not to close her eyes.
The maid later confided in her sister, who called the Centre for Domestic Employees for help.
The police were alerted on April 2, 2019, and officers went to Tan's home later that day.
Ms Muslikhah was taken to Changi General Hospital and was found with injuries, including a bruised forehead.
For each count of assaulting the maid, Tan could have been jailed for up to three years and fined up to $7,500.
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