KUALA LUMPUR: More teenagers are committing suicide, Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye (pix) told the Dewan Rakyat today.
He said the prevalence of suicide among those aged 13 to 17 rose to 10% in 2017 compared with 7.9% in 2012.
“Statistics from the police show that from 2014 until June this year, a total of 356 suicides were reported nationwide,” he said.
The Chinese accounted for 147 of these cases, followed by the Indians at 76. In the same period, there were 47 suicides among Malays, 17 of other races and 69 non-Malaysians, Lee said in a Q&A session.
He was responding to a question from R. S. N. Rayer (PH-Jelutong) who wanted to know the measures that had been taken to reduce the number of suicides across the country.
Lee said his ministry had introduced preventive plans and measures to address mental health issues. “Screening services and treatment for mental health is available at 60 government hospitals, 1,001 primer health clinics and 25 mental health community centres,” he said.
Individuals who need help can call 03-7956 8145, a 24-hour toll free number manned by The Befrienders.
To a supplementary question by Kelvin Yii (PH-Bandar Kuching) Lee said the government intended to revive the National Suicide Registry of Malaysia (NSRM) next year, but only if suicide was decriminalised.
He said if suicide remained a criminal offence, it would only result in under-reporting of cases. This, he said, would cause the registry to be incomplete.
“We call for Sections 305, 306 and 309 (of the Penal Code) to be reviewed,” he said, referring to laws relating to attempted suicide.
“We don’t want those who are in need of help to be punished again. If all goes well, we aim to relaunch the registry by 2020.”
The NSRM was set up in 2007 to provide public access to data on suicides in the country. However, its official website was taken down in 2009 after it published just two reports.
