Housewife Yim Pek Ha was charged in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today with four counts of grievously hurting her Indonesian maid in what the Indonesian embassy here described as the worst case of maid abuse ever reported in the country.

Yim, 36, was on the verge of tears when she pleaded not guilty to all the charges which were read out to her in Cantonese by a court interpreter.

To reflect the severity of the case which has caused national outrage and given banner headlines in newspapers over the past few days, Judge Aktar Tahir denied her bail and ordered that she be remanded at the Kajang Prison near here pending trial on July 26-28, reports Bernama .

Yim faces three charges of voluntarily causing grievous hurt to Nirmala Bonat, 19, with dangerous weapon - an iron and hot water - at her house at 33B-25-6, Villa Putera, Jalan Tun Ismail here in January, March and April this year.

She is also charged with voluntarily causing grievous hurt to Nirmala with a metal cup at the same place at 3pm on May 17 this year.

The maid from West Timor is now under the protection of the Indonesian Embassy.

Yim's lawyer K Balaguru, told reporters outside the court that he had been instructed to file an appeal to the High Court against the Sessions Court's ruling denying bail to his client, who arrived in court today dressed in T-shirt and black pants.

The appeal was expected to be heard on Monday.

Serious nature

For the three counts of causing grievous hurt using dangerous weapons, Yim is charged under Section 326 of the Penal Code which on conviction carries a jail term of 20 years and is liable to a fine and caning. On another count, she is charged under Section 325 of the same law which carries a seven-year jail term and a fine on conviction.

Judge Akhtar said he decided to refuse bail for Yim not because of pre-judging but based on the principle that the offences allegedly committed by her were non-bailable and it was the court's discretion whether or not to grant bail.

The judge said the offences allegedly committed by Yim were of a serious nature and the court should take into account whether she would be present for the trial or abscond.

"I am not confident that if I allow bail (whether) the accused would be here for the hearing. I am denying bail for the offences," he ruled.

Akhtar also denied bail on the basis that Yim is a person of means, and therefore there would be a great possibility she might abscond.

During the court's proceedings, Yim was seen as if she was about to faint and upon seeing this, the judge told her to sit down. She was seen putting her head on her arms while leaning against the accused's dock.

'Medical help'

Balaguru told the court that the system of justice adopted in the country was that Yim was innocent until proven guilty.

He said whether Yim was facing one or more charges was not the criteria to be taken into account by the court when deciding to grant or not to grant bail.

"She is a mother of four, the youngest being seven months and two school-going children," Balaguru revealed.

He said Yim had been in detention since Tuesday and her statement to the police was only recorded Friday evening after the decision was made to charge her.

Balaguru said this case had attracted public interest but there had to be a balance between public interest and the accused's interest.

"She now needs medical help. I am not suggesting on her mental stage. She herself is in bad condition having been put inside there (lock up) for five days," he said.

He said justice must be seen to be done, adding that Yim should be allowed a say in court.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Stanley Augustin asked the court to fix early hearing date in the interest of justice and also because Nirmala was a foreigner. But he said that she would remain in the country until the trial was over.