Malaysia Airlines (MAS) should refrain from enforcing any taxed costs against former stewardess Beatrice Fernandez whose services were terminated when she became pregnant.

The Joint Action Group against Violence Against Women (JAG-VAW), which is lending her support, said this in a statement ahead of a Federal Court hearing on Friday to assess the costs that Fernandez will have to bear.

The High Court dismissed her case against MAS in 1996 and the Court of Appeal upheld the decision in October 2004. She then applied for leave to appeal to the Federal Court, but lost the case recently.

Fernandez joined MAS as a flight stewardess in 1980. She became pregnant after 11 years of service.

She had signed a collective agreement between the MAS Employees Union (Maseu) and MAS in 1988, which stated that a female stewardess must resign on becoming pregnant or her services will be terminated.

Fernandez, however, refused to resign and the airlines terminated her services in 1991.

Deplorable action

"JAG-VAW deplores the action of MAS to place a further burden on Fernandez," said Maria Chin Abdullah, the executive director of Women's Development Collective (WDC), which is one of several women's groups that make up the coalition.

"We say that it behoves MAS, and will reflect well on its corporate image to recognise that Fernandez was merely asserting her human rights, and the case was brought as a form of public interest litigation," she said.

Maria also cited Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, of which Malaysia is a signatory, saying it provides for the right of a person to work and to just and favourable conditions of work.

The other JAG-VAW member-groups include the Women's Aid Organisation, Women's Centre for Change Penang, Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) women's committee, Sisters In Islam and, All Women's Action Society.

The Beatrice Fernandez Fund was set up under the auspices of the MTUC women's committee to assist the former stewardess in settling her legal fees.