Original article at http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/grieving-parents-finally-get-apology-maid-agent

Even today, 56-year-old Mr Lee Kai Yam still takes the lift from his fourth-floor home to the 16th floor nearly every night.

He would stand for hours at the spot where his 12-year-old daughter Linda was flung to her death by the family’s 16-year- old Indonesian maid in 2010. One thought would repeat in his head: How much fear did his daughter feel at that moment?

In 2012, the maid, Nurhayati, was found guilty of culpable homicide and sentenced to 20 years in jail. But Mr Lee always maintained that the agency that supplied the underage maid should bear its share of responsibility.

Yesterday, he and his 50-year-old wife finally got the apology they were fighting for.

Mr Ong Kian Wah, a consultant of the now-defunct Maid Link agency, stood up in court and said: “We sincerely apologise for the loss of your daughter. We are also saddened by this incident. We hope you can forgive us and have peace in your heart.” Beside him was his daughter Charmaine Ong Meiyi, who was sole proprietor of the firm.

The apology was part of the settlement agreed on by both parties. The Ongs will also pay the couple $50,000 over nine monthly instalments.

But for Mr Lee, it was never about the money. “There are many families here who rely on maids to take care of their children,” he told The Straits Times.

“Agents must exercise due diligence in checking the age of maids and ensure they are capable enough to meet the needs of their employers.”

Linda had scoliosis – a curved spine – and was slow in her speech and movement. Two weeks after Nurhayati started working for the family in October 2010, Mr Lee found that she did not have the maturity needed to care for Linda, despite documents listing her as being 24 years old.

He went back to the agency to ask for her to be replaced.

But Mr Ong told him she came from a poor family and needed the job. He pleaded with Mr Lee to give her a chance.

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