i was highly disturbed to read the Straits Times front page news this morning. (eh no, it wasnt the protest about cartoons). it was the story of the maid made to endanger her own life to hang clothes on the ledge. she died at 22. hanging clothes on a ledge. how ridiculous and it made me very angry. i was even more disturbed to find out that her employer tried to appeal for leniency based on the fact that it was her mother in law who asked for the clothes to be hung out there and that all the other neighbours were made to do so. i will say that legally perhaps she had a case. but morally? no. not at all. she was given 2 weeks of imprisonment and her husband claimed that it was unfair that his wife was made a 'scapegoat' and that the case made a 'land mark case'. now what about the maid, who died? now, who really is the scapegoat? i will agree that it is unfair that out of the many people that caused their maids' death, only this one is made a landmark case. i will agree that family related issues are complicated and so it wasnt really her fault that her mother in law had asked/ordered for the maid to commit the dangerous act. and i will fully agree that no one wanted anyone to die. but really? i cant take the fact that it is a life you have caused and you can raise these factors as reasons to plead for leniency. two weeks of prison life versus a life ended prematuredly, and a family left behind,and friends left behind to mourn and to grieve indefinitely.

why?

and there is this nagging feeling, this undercurrent, this subtle suggestion from the way how the case was handled, and how it is being seen that: the victim was only a foreign maid. imagine another scenario, if a local employee was made to perform the same act and fell to death too. i am not so sure that the case will be settled with 2 wks of imprisonment. surely, the victim's family members will raise more complaints and appeals.

to think about it the lack of appeals by the victim's family is probably due to the inability to do so, being foreign and not well to do. that further highlights the vulnerability of foreign workers (not the high flying expats btw) and how it is even more neccessary to protect their rights and life. but i am digressing. i am not really bothered with legal rights and protection. i think the legal system is quite flawed. it is the moral issue that i am concerned with: how someone('s husband) can so outrightly declared the partiality of the court, and how they can bring themselves to appeal for leniency despite causing someone's death (whether intentionally or unintentionally).

the great injustice of it all.