KOTA KINABALU: A former MasterChef Malaysia 2012 finalist and her husband have been charged with the murder of their 28-year-old domestic worker.

       No plea was taken from Etiqah Siti Noorashikeen Mohd Sulong, 33, a Petronas engineer, and her husband Mohammad AmbreeYunos @ Unos, 40, when the charges were read before magistrate Jessica Ombou Kakayun.

       The couple were accused of murdering their maid Nur Afiyah Daeng Damin, between Dec 10 and 13, in an apartment in Amber Tower in Lido Avenue, Penampang.

       The tentative murder charge was framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which is non-bailable and carries the death penalty if convicted.

       The couple, who have three children, including a pair of twins, all below the age of three, were represented separately.

       Etiqah was represented by Datuk Seri Rakhbir Singh while Ambree, a former airline company officer and now a contractor, was represented by counsels Ram Singh and Kimberly Ye.

       The Magistrate Court ordered the couple to be remanded and fixed Feb 10 next year for next mention of the case.

       Rakhbir had earlier appealed for bail for Etiqah as she is a “sick” and “infirm” woman.

       He further argued in support of the bail application that she is breastfeeding as well. Her son is three years old while the younger two girls are two years old.

       Etiqah is on medication for anxiety attacks and other related illnesses, he added.

       However, the application was turned down by the court.

       The couple were arrested on Dec 14 after they lodged a police report claiming that they found their maid on the floor of their apartment on returning from a holiday in Kundasang about 80km from here.