Mother, daughter jailed for trafficking, abusing Cambodian maid

In a recent legal case reported by the Butterworth sessions court, Teoh Beng Sim and her daughter Teh Hooi Fun have been sentenced to eight and ten years in prison, respectively, for trafficking and abusing a Cambodian domestic worker. The court ruled that the mother-daughter duo had failed to present any reasonable doubt against the prosecution's case. They were additionally fined RM15,000 each, in lieu of three months in jail.

The court's judge, Noor Aini Yusof, rejected the defendants' claims that they had treated the maid well, describing their defenses as mere denials. Noor Aini also dismissed the argument that the maid was an unreliable witness, asserting that she had been traumatized and exposed to long-term fear.

According to the case details, the victim had arrived in Malaysia seeking work as a domestic worker, having been promised a monthly salary of US$250. She was handed over to Teoh and her daughter's agency on December 27, 2017. However, she did not receive any wages until February 25, 2021, when police conducted a raid on the family's home. The victim had not attempted to flee because Teoh and her daughter had threatened to imprison her if she did so, warning her that there were police in the neighborhood.

Medical tests revealed bruising on the victim's right ear, scratches, and a scar on her face, corroborating the allegations made by the prosecution.