PETALING JAYA: Deputy Public Prosecutor, VV Suloshani, who prosecuted the Datin after being found guilty of causing grievous hurt to her maid, said the case tarnished the country’s image and affected the relationship between Indonesia and Malaysia.
Datin Rozita Mohamad Ali, 44, was charged with deliberately causing grievous hurt to her Indonesian maid Suyanti Sutrinso, 19, allegedly with a knife, a floor mop, umbrella, iron rod and cloth hanger.
The maid suffered multiple injuries to her eyes, both her legs, her hands and internal organs, and also had a broken scapula and a fracture in her cheek.
The offence was committed at a house in Jalan PJU 7/30, Mutiara Damansara between 7am and noon on June 21, 2016.
On March 15 , the Sessions Court ordered “Datin” to be placed on a good behaviour bond for five years with surety of RM20,000 for her offense.
The case drew public backlash after a video of the maid seriously injured and lying near a drain in a housing area in Mutiara Damansara went viral on the social media.
Deputy public prosecutor VV Suloshani said the case was covered by the international media and went viral on the social media resulting in “the country’s image to be tarnished, and it also affected the good relations between Indonesia and Malaysia.”
An online petition on change.org called for equal justice for the rich and poor after the abuse Datin escaped jail sentence.
The petition has collected 23,183 signatures immediately, describing the offence committed by Datin towards her maid as “despicable and inhumane”, and called for stricter punishment than just a ‘good behaviour bond’”.
As a result, Datin was called to stand in court again for a second review of the case and the sentence on March 21 but she did not turn up.
She went missing and did not show up yesterday in court .
Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said that the department has barred Datin Rozita Mohamad Ali from leaving the country following a court order , the Star reported today.
“We are also checking whether she has attempted to leave the country,” he told the Star.
Judge Tun Abd Majid Tun Hamzah had set March 29 to hear the prosecutor’s application.
He said yesterday that the Sessions Court could now impose a jail term if Rozita failed to adhere to the conditions, which include providing the last known residential address.
