Liew: Consultations ongoing to decriminalise suicide attempts, abetment

PARLIAMENT | Consultations are ongoing with all stakeholders towards a move to decriminalise attempted suicide, according to de facto Law Minister Liew Vui Keong.

Liew told Dr Kelvin Yii (PH-Bandar Kuching) the move would look at the necessary amendments to Section 309 of the Penal Code on attempted suicide as well Section 305 and Section 306 on abetting attempted suicide.

"As we all know and understand, attempted suicide is not a solution to any problems," said Liew who acknowledged a rise in cases of attempted suicide linked to mental health issues.

"The government is in the process of engaging stakeholders to come up with a national comprehensive study on this matter," said Liew, who is also the MP for Batu Sapi.

As part of the consultation process, Liew said stakeholders involved include various relevant ministries, police, fire and rescue personnel as well as experts from NGO Befrienders and the Malaysian Psychiatrist Association.

Looking beyond Malaysia, Liew said the ongoing process would also include studying amendments made to similar legislations in the UK, Australia, Pakistan and India.

To a supplementary question from Mohd Shahar Abdullah (BN-Paya Besar) on government strategy to address mental health issues among Malaysians, Liew noted that current challenges include identifying individuals who require help.

In June, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the Attorney General's Chambers had been instructed to study a suggestion to decriminalise attempted suicide.

Wan Azizah, who is also Women, Family and Community Development Minister, had at the time cited figures from a 2017 survey among students aged 13 to 17 who found the prevalence of idea to commit suicide to be 10 percent compared to 7.9 percent in 2012. - Mkini