THE case of Rozita Mohamad Ali who was originally bound over for five years on a good behaviour bond of RM20,000 after being found guilty of abusing her domestic helper, Suyanti Sutrinso, was the talk of the town recently.
The original sentence caused uproar among members of the public who felt it was not commensurate with the seriousness of the crime she committed on her maid two years ago. She had used a variety of weapons including a kitchen knife, steel mop, an umbrella and a clothes hanger on Suyanti who suffered injuries on her head, hands, legs and internal organs.
As details of the case went viral, an anonymous individual under the moniker “Equal Justice For Malaysians” started a petition with the intention of obtaining 70,000 signatures before handing the matter to our Prime Minister to get the sentence reviewed.
Due to public pressure, Rozita was hauled back to court where she was sentenced to eight years in prison. Finally, justice was served.
In my opinion, the public played a big role in putting Suyanti’s former employer where she rightly belongs. However, Rozita’s eight years in jail would never make up for the torment Suyanti endured.
Malaysians have shown just how much justice means to them and would ensure it is served accordingly.
FARAH QISTINA ZABIDI
Ampang, Selangor
