S1E3: Singapore: Employers abuse Myanmar domestic worker to her death

Since Ms Piang Ngaih Don’s death in 2016, a slew of measures have been introduced to stem domestic worker abuse. Synopsis (headphones recommended): A special edition 6-part series by The Straits Times in Singapore, exploring recent real crimes that gripped, horrified and laid bare the issues that afflicted societies in Asia. Episodes drop every fourth Tuesday of the month from April 25, 2023. Warning: This podcast is an audio documentary of a real crime case which may be troubling and upsetting to certain listeners. Listener discretion is advised. In 2016, the abuse and eventual death of a young Myanmar domestic worker led to shock and an outpouring of grief in Singapore. Ms Piang Ngaih Don left her hometown in Chin State, Myanmar, to work for Gaiyathiri Murugayan and her then-husband and suspended police officer Kevin Chelvam in 2015. The details and extent of her torture, at the hands of Gaiyathiri and her mother Prema S. Naraynasamy, brought about heightened checks and health screenings for domestic workers in Singapore. Yet activists say more can be done. ST's Singapore journalist Jean Iau interviews and narrates this podcast. Highlights (click/tap above): 4:23 "Their attitude is like animal attitude", says Mr Tin Maung Win who runs an NGO for migrant workers 6:35 Verbal abuse turns physical: CCTV footage captures the assaults on Ms Piang Ngaih Don over the last 35 days of her life 9:05 Chilling events the night before she died; Gaiyathiri and Prema now serving sentences 15:25 Reactions from Ms Piang Ngaih Don’s family; hundreds take to the streets in Yangon to mourn her 21:06 Revisiting the scene: A young neighbour recalls hearing shouting from Gaiyathiri's flat and avoiding her 22:48 In February 2021, then-Manpower Minister Josephine Teo said Singapore "must do better"; Manpower Ministry spells out some measures introduced since 2021 28:10 Should foreign domestic workers be given option to "live out", regardless of higher costs to employers? Ms Jaya Anil Kumar, senior research and advocacy manager at Human Organisation for Migration Economics (Home) believes so Interviews & narration by: Jean Iau ([email protected]) Executive Producers: Ernest Luis ([email protected]) and Tan Tam Mei ([email protected]) Podcast Producers: Hadyu Rahim & Fa'izah Sani Voiceovers: Leonie Teo, Vimalaraj Rajaratnam Copy editor: Choo Li Meng Audio clip of Ms Piang Ngaih Don's sister reproduced with permission from Al Jazeera (see full documentary - https://str.sg/iUQz) Follow ST’s True Crimes Of Asia Podcast:Channel: https://str.sg/i44TApple Podcasts: https://str.sg/i44qSpotify: https://str.sg/i44cSPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/Website: http://str.sg/stpodcastsFeedback to: [email protected] Jean Iau's articles: https://str.sg/iUAz --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 ST Podcasts website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #truecrimesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.