Maid fined for fighting with other domestic helpers at Paya Lebar over TikTok videos
A group of maids had gone to look for Sriani at Paya Lebar Square to confront her over her insulting TikTok videos.
Screengrabs from a video posted on Facebook by user Eunhee Elysium on the altercation on May 19, 2024.
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
SINGAPORE: A domestic helper was fined S$1,000 (US$764) by a court on Tuesday (Aug 20) for fighting with other maids near Paya Lebar MRT Station.
Sriani, a 46-year-old Indonesian national, pleaded guilty to one count of affray for the incident between two groups comprising five maids on May 19.
The altercation arose because Sriani had posted videos on TikTok insulting co-accused Sulastri, 44.
Because of this, the two groups of maids were not on friendly terms.
The court heard that Sriani and the other four Indonesian maids worked for different households in Singapore.
Sriani was friends with co-accused Maesorah, 35, while the remaining three women were from the second group: Sulastri, 44, Nita Widia Rahayu, 34 and Siti Rukayah Kusni, 47.
WHAT HAPPENED
On the morning of May 19, Sriani had some alcoholic drinks at a party. At about 2pm, she fell asleep near a corner beside a shop at Paya Lebar Square.
She was there with Maesorah and some other friends at their usual hangout.
Meanwhile, Sulastri, Siti, Nita and four other women who could not be identified were at Tanjong Katong Complex for a gathering.
Siti suggested going to Paya Lebar Square to confront Sriani over the TikTok posts.
The group arrived there at about 2.40pm and found Sriani sleeping. She was woken up by a kick.
A heated argument ensued, followed by a fight involving Sriani, Sulastri, Siti, Nita and Sriani's friend Maesorah.
The fight attracted a crowd of 50 onlookers, said the prosecution, and a member of the public called the police.
All five maids were arrested and charged.
The prosecutor left the sentence for Sriani to the court and did not object to a fine being imposed.
Deputy Principal District Judge Ong Chin Rhu asked if Sriani was still working for her employer, who had furnished bail for her.
Sriani nodded and said through a Bahasa Indonesia interpreter that she intended to pay any fine that was imposed.
After hearing the quantum, she said she would pay it. However, as of 6pm on Tuesday, the fine remained unpaid. If she is unable to pay the fine, she will have to serve one week's jail in default.
In response to CNA's queries, the Ministry of Manpower said on Friday that Sriani is no longer on a work permit.Â
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"Work pass holders, including migrant domestic workers, who contravene Singapore’s laws will have their work passes revoked and barred from working in Singapore," said a spokesperson.
Sriani's case was heard along with two other co-accused - Sulastri and Siti, but the two women asked for adjournments as they had applied to get lawyers under the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme.
The cases for the remaining two involved in the fight - Maesorah and Nita, are pending.
Checks with lawyers show that there is no criminal record for the offence of affray.Â
The penalty for affray is a jail term of up to a year, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both.
