KUALA LUMPUR: The National Mental Health Crisis Line, better known as the HEAL line, has logged 48,903 calls since its establishment in 2022.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the total number of calls, which were recorded up until June this year, was a major issue and must be taken seriously by society.
"More than 48,000 calls have been received. This is very high and we must take the matter seriously as a society," he told a press conference after chairing the National Social Council meeting in the Parliament building here today.
Based on the statistics provided by the National Centre of Excellence for Mental Health, 59 per cent of the calls (28,871) required emotional support assistance, while 41 per cent (20,032) required specific intervention such as positive coping skills, specifically those who possess suicidal thoughts.
Of those that required intervention, 129 had attempted suicide while 170 had suicidal thoughts.
Meanwhile, Zahid said that according to the statistics, a majority of those who committed suicide were Chinese, followed by Indians and Malays.
He said the National Social Council meeting had agreed on a framework of suicide prevention solutions, which involve the integrated roles of various agencies to be carried out and for all ministries and agencies to enhance advocacy actions in preventing suicidal behaviour.
"The meeting discussed the integrated roles and strategies for addressing the suicide situation in the country and the implementation of Reproductive and Social Health Education in schools under the Education Ministry.
"It cannot be denied that the country is experiencing changes in social and economic scenarios due to the emergence of various new trends, such as demographic changes, urbanisation, digital innovation, economic inequality, shifts in global economic power and hyperconnectivity (in the use of communication methods such as email, instant messaging, telephone and web services).
"(Hence,) I would like to emphasise that these changes in social scenarios result in changes in social attitudes, cultural shifts and behavioural transitions, as well as changes in the dynamics of family institutions and society in general."
On a related matter, Zahid said the case of cyberbullying that led to the suicide of a social media influencer would be presented to the Cabinet on Friday.
This was after the influencer's body was found at her apartment a day after she lodged a report on Thursday of multiple threats made by cyberbullies against her.