The ordeal ended when a police team from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants Division (Atipsom) raided the unit, Harian Metro reported.

Criminal investigation department assistant director Soffian Santong said the 21-year-old victim was hired by a local family and had only been working for a week.

“The victim was restricted to the balcony, which was locked from the inside, except when she was instructed to clean the house,” he was quoted as saying.

“She would only be allowed in the house between 5am and 11am to clean the home. Once her tasks were completed, she was ordered to go back to the balcony.”

Soffian said the maid was forced to live on the balcony with nothing but a pillow and a mattress, and that her plight came to light after she wrote a note pleading for help and tossed it from the balcony.

He also said a 69-year-old woman, believed to be the employer, was arrested in connection with the case.

“The case is being investigated under Section 12 of the Atipsom Act 2007 and Section 55B of the Immigration Act 1956/63,” Soffian added.