BALIK PULAU, MALAYSIA - A 65-year-old woman was admitted to hospital with swollen eyes and bruises on her arms after she was allegedly attacked by her maid at an apartment in Sungai Ara here.

Tan Kim Huah, who suffers from dementia, was alone at home with the maid, 35, when the incident allegedly occurred on Saturday night.

Her son Lim Cheng San, 35, who was at a relative's birthday party at the time of the incident, said he questioned the maid after seeing his mother's injuries the next morning.

"She told me the swollen eyes were caused by the ointment she applied around my mother's eyes. I became suspicious when she became startled when I questioned her.

"I decided to lodge a report at the Bayan Lepas police station on Sunday," he said when contacted yesterday.

Tan said police subsequently arrested the maid, adding that his mother was being treated in a private hospital where her condition is reported to be stable.

"The doctor said the swollen eyes could have been caused by being hit on the head with a blunt object.

"The doctor also found bruises on her hands which could be self-inflicted but he did not rule out that she could have been beaten up," he said.

The alleged attack is the second such case of abuse in a week.

On Thursday, a 42-year-old factory worker suffered a fractured skull and needed about 100 stitches after she was attacked with a wooden stool, mortar and knife by her maid.

Balik Pulau OCPD Supt Mohd Hatta Mohd Zain said the Sungai Ara maid has been remanded for 14 days to assist in investigations.

He said police had classified the case as causing hurt.

"We are waiting for a medical report before completing investigations," he said.

The Star/Asia News Network