KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30, 2007 (AFP) - A Malaysian woman has been charged with the murder of her Indonesian maid, local media said Thursday, in a case which has stoked anger in Indonesia over the treatment of domestic workers here.

Cheng Pei Ee, 29, could face the death penalty if found guilty of killing 24-year-old Kunasir, whose beaten body was found on August 14.

The New Straits Times newspaper reported that Cheng's husband, 34-year-old Goo Eng Keng, was accused of trying to cover up the crime.

The Indonesian government last week upped the pressure on Malaysia to take swift action against abusive employers, saying too many Indonesian maids were being mistreated in Malaysia.

In another recent case, an Indonesian maid climbed out of the window of a high-rise apartment in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur to escape a violent employer.

Malaysia relies heavily on foreign workers for menial jobs, and Jakarta's embassy here says about 300,000 Indonesian maids are employed in the country.

While local authorities have denied abuses are on the rise, the Indonesian embassy said more than 1,000 abused or unpaid workers seek refuge in its compound every year.

Tensions between the neighbouring countries have been rising recently, with an alleged assault on a karate referee by Malaysian police last week sparking protests outside the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta on Wednesday.