Sessions Court Judge Akhtar Tahir found Yim Pek Ha guilty of using dangerous weapons to inflict injury on Ms Nirmala Bonat at her Kuala Lumpur condominium on three separate occasions in early 2004.

The judge ordered Yim, 40, to start serving the sentence immediately.

Ms Bonat said she was beaten and burned for mistakes she made during her five months in Yim's home. She said that on one occasion, her employer took a hot iron and pressed it against her breasts after complaining that clothes had not been ironed properly. Yim also poured hot water on Ms Bonat's legs.

The case sparked national outrage and focused attention on the plight of Indonesian migrant domestic workers, after Malaysian newspapers published photographs in 2004 of a then 19-year-old Bonat showing burns and bruises over much of her body.

The judge rejected the defence argument that Ms Bonat was mentally disturbed and that the injuries were self-inflicted, saying the wounds were in places that were difficult to reach.

'From the statements from the accused, there was underlying anger even after three years. So it is not surprising that she caused the injuries. She admitted that she slapped the victim,' he said.

He added that he wanted to impose a 'deterrent sentence' to show that 'sadistic behaviour...cannot be tolerated in a civil society'.

Yim was charged with three counts of causing injury to Ms Bonat. She had faced jail sentences of up to 20 years on each count. She was cleared of a fourth charge of fracturing the maid's nose.

Yim, who has four young children, sobbed uncontrollably and hugged her family after the judge read his verdict.

Her lawyer, Mr Jagjit Singh, said they would appeal against the verdict.

He called the sentence 'excessive' because there was 'no loss of life, no disfigurement, no scars' in the case.

Ms Bonat did not attend the hearing because she had returned to her hometown in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province.

Indonesian Embassy official Shanti Utami Retnaningsih said the verdict should send a 'very strong message to other employers not to abuse their maids'.

A string of worker abuse cases in Malaysia has strained relations with Indonesia. Malaysia is home to about 1.2 million documented Indonesian workers, as well as an illegal workforce estimated at up to two million.

Indonesian officials and human rights groups have urged Malaysia's government to strengthen laws to protect about 300,000 Indonesian domestic workers.

Indonesian diplomats say at least 1,500 maids seek help at their offices across Malaysia each year. Most complain of unpaid wages, but some also claim they are physically abused.

ASSOCIATED PRESS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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