KUALA LUMPUR: The move by the government to decriminalise attempted suicide will eradicate the stigma associated with mental illnesses.
Malaysian Psychiatric Association patron Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said it would encourage people suffering from mental disorders to seek help and treatment.
Lee, a proponent of the move to review Section 309 of the Penal Code, which regulates attempted suicide as an offence, described the government’s will to amend the legislation as a step forward in tackling mental illness, an issue that was becoming more commonplace worldwide.
“I am happy that the government is doing something about this issue.
“One of the biggest problems in addressing mental health issues is stigmatisation. People suffering from mental health are afraid to seek treatment because they fear the negative perception against them by society.
“Such stigmas can be eliminated if Section 309 (of the Penal Code) is repealed. People who attempt to commit suicide should be treated and not be punished,” he told the New Straits Times.
Lee said in many cases, people suffering from mental illness, including depression, would develop suicidal tendencies if their health issues were left unchecked.
“If we could provide help and treatment for people suffering from mental illness, we could prevent them from having suicidal tendencies, planning and execution.
Lee reiterated his calls for the Health Ministry to be provided with all the support and resources to effectively address mental health issues. The resources, he said, included having sufficient number of psychiatrists and trained counsellors at public hospitals and health clinics.
He cited a report which indicated there were not enough psychiatrists to help people with mental issues.
“In Malaysia, the ratio of psychiatrist to the population is 1:100,000, which is worrying,” he said.
Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh said decriminalisation was the best way to tackle attempted suicide cases since it was a health issue and not a crime.
Yeoh, a critic of Section 309 of the Penal Code, said people with health issues should be sent for medical treatment instead of being punished.
“We don’t send people who are dealing with health issues to jail. We send them for medical assistance. This is to ensure that people with mental health challenges can be well again. They can feel better with the right support system. We must strive towards that because it is affecting 30 per cent of Malaysians,” she told the New Straits Times.
It was reported that the Singaporean government had amended its laws to decriminalise attempted suicide.
Its Home Affairs Ministry and Law Ministry stated that these legislations would come into effect today as part of the Criminal Law Reform Act, which was passed in Parliament in May last year.
In Singapore, up to the end of last year, under Section 309 of the Penal Code, whoever attempted to commit suicide were liable to imprisonment for up to one year, a fine, or both.