KLANG: A 37-year-old managing director earned the dubious distinction of being the first woman in the country to be convicted for hiring illegal foreign workers. S. Kalaichelvi was sentenced to six months' jail after magistrate Tasnim Abu Bakar found her guilty of hiring nine foreign workers who were in the country without permits.

Kalaichelvi cried as she was sentenced.

She was seen clenching her hands and wiping her tears with a handkerchief as she constantly turned back to look at her family members who were seated at the public gallery.

Tasnim, in her decision, said she had found that Kalaichelvi was the person who managed all matters relating to paying the workers' their wages.

"The court believes that she had employed them and that she was not just a silent partner in the company," she said.

"I also found that the defence failed to challenge the evidence of prosecution witnesses."

Tasnim ordered Kalaichelvi to serve her sentence from yesterday.

Kalaichelvi was found guilty of employing nine illegal foreign workers from India, aged between 29 and 50, at her company, Euco Garments (M) Sdn Bhd, located at 136B, Jalan Batu Unjur 1, Bayu Perdana here at 10.30am on July 16, 2003.

Prosecuting officer from the Immigration Department, V. Kasthuri Bai, pressed for a deterrent sentence as the offence was serious.

"The government has taken steps to curb companies from hiring illegal workers," she said.

"The Immigration Department has also warned employers against hiring illegal workers."

She said the court must send a strong message to other employers.

Counsel Ramanathan Vellu, however, pleaded for leniency and urged the court to consider how the conviction would affect Kalaichelvi's three children.

Kalaichelvi was sentenced after 10 prosecution and five defence witnesses took the stand.

Tasnim also granted her a stay of execution pending appeal and raised her initial RM25,000 bail to RM30,000 in one surety.

Kalaichelvi, who managed to raise the additional RM5,000 bail, was seen shying away from press photographers.

She used a jacket to cover her face, while a male relative used his shirt to shield her.

Other family members walked beside her, not allowing photographers to get close to Kalaichelvi.

One of them was also seen making rude gestures to the reporters and photographers covering the trial.