Malaysian News

Not quite a news but a general piece on the subject.

Key points:

• The Dewan Rakyat recently passed a bill to decriminalise suicide attempt. The removal of Section 309 of the Penal Code - which informed the punishment for suicide attempt with jail term and fine, was seen as a crucial milestone in the legal reform, and welcomed by many.
• Sec. 309 has its roots in the British Common Law, which existed with the reasoning that criminalising suicide (making it punishable) would be an act of prevention. However, studies have shown that there is no proof of its effectiveness - countries with laws criminalising suicide do not show a lower suicide rate than those without such a law.
• In fact, criminalising suicide may indeed mask the truth in regard to suicide rates and mental health crisis of a country - attempted suicide cases are often not reported as such due to a fear of ramification.
• Decriminalising suicide - as crucial it is - is just a first step toward building a more comprehensive framework for suicide prevention and rehabilitation, including coming up with policies to provide help like therapy for those at risks.
• Beyond legal matters, there should also be more effort in place to remove social stigma surrounding mental health problems and suicide, to encourage more people to speak up and reach out for help.