Victim was 'an easygoing person and a kind boss'

Mr Ong (centre), husband of Madam Seow, attending to mourners at his wife's wake yesterday. A female employee of Mr Ong and Madam Seow described them as good bosses and said Madam Seow "takes care of us very much".
Mr Ong (centre), husband of Madam Seow, attending to mourners at his wife's wake yesterday. A female employee of Mr Ong and Madam Seow described them as good bosses and said Madam Seow "takes care of us very much". ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE

A 59-year-old woman who was allegedly killed by her maid on Tuesday was a kind boss and an easygoing person, said people who knew Madam Seow Kim Choo at her wake yesterday.

The press was not allowed into her home in Telok Kurau, where her husband was also allegedly stabbed by 23-year-old Indonesian Daryati, who was arrested on Tuesday night.

Mr Ong Thiam Soon, 57, was discharged from hospital and was seen mingling with mourners yesterday. He declined to comment.

A 58-year-old woman living nearby, who gave her name only as Madam Ong, said Madam Seow, whom she had known for over 10 years, was easygoing.

A young woman who came to pay her respects said Mr Ong and Madam Seow were her bosses at a logistics company.

She described both as good bosses and said Madam Seow "takes care of us very much", in ways such as buying food for staff.

A housewife in her 50s, who said she lived in the house behind Madam Seow's, described her as friendly. She said they did not know each other well, but would exchange greetings over the wall.

"I would see them in the back, and my flowers would grow over the wall. So I would say, 'Sorry, I haven't cut them'. She would say, 'Oh no need to cut, my maid appreciates your flowers a lot.' She was very bubbly and nice."

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on June 10, 2016, with the headline Victim was 'an easygoing person and a kind boss'. Subscribe