KUALA LUMPUR: Concern is gripping one of Malaysia’s largest and most prestigious private universities after two of its students committed suicide in the space of one week.
Details of the tragic deaths are scant, with the university emphasising the need to respect the privacy of the two students’ families, but it is learnt that the first suicide took place on May 6, while the second occurred on May 14.
In the wake of the deaths, the Klang Valley-based university has hastily organised a grief counselling session and talk entitled ‘Suicide and Mental Health’ scheduled for today (May 15) on its campus.
According to its official Facebook page, the session will touch on topics such as self-care, recognising signs of depression and stress, and what to do when a friend or family member expresses suicidal thoughts.
The university has also made counsellors available to all students requiring emotional assistance during this difficult time.
Meanwhile, students and alumni have flooded the university’s social media platforms with messages of shock, grief and disbelief over the double tragedy, with some pointing to previous cases of suicide among its scholars.