Youth group demands apology after Harakah TV host mocks suicide, depression

 

Youth group Aksi Muda has blasted the moderator of a Harakah panel on "Depression and Suicide during MCO: What is the Islamic Solution?" for repeatedly mocking the issues of suicide and depression.

Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Siti Zailah Md Yusof was also chided by the group for laughing along at the flippant remarks made by moderator Badzli Bakar instead of letting him know that his attitude was inappropriate

"The talk organised by Harakah last night was a failure and it was unethical.

"Depression cannot be equated with 'insanity'. Many times this term was misused by the moderator," said Aksi Muda in a statement today.

In the online panel, Badzli dismissed questions from "haters", saying, "I better read them out so that they are calm and do not commit suicide."

"This was followed by the laughter from Badzli and Siti Zailah," said Aksi Muda.

Aksi Muda, which describes itself as a youth organisation established to drive political change in Malaysia, shared footage from the panel on its Twitter handle Sekolah Politik which resulted in many irked netizens criticising the dismissive manner in which a serious topic was handled.

Twitter user MohdQae said that Badzli came off as really uneducated in his treatment of the topic.

"From the 'Medieval' era, Islam has addressed psychological problems as something real. It is acknowledged in the medical world, but these people make fun?" he tweeted.

"Depression and suicide are not appropriate to be taken as a joke," said lawyer and political aide Syahredzan Johan.

While lawyer Samantha Chong posted, " My cousin suffered from severe depression due to unemployment & took his own life. He was 24. Siti Zailah, do you think his passing is funny?"

Aksi Muda said that Badzli handled the topic with a lot of prejudice.

"He used the issue of depression and suicide to attack 'haters' who were not in line with his political thinking. He failed to empathise with the survivors of depression and suicide.

"A deputy minister should not have laughed many times when the moderator used depression and suicide to attack the 'haters' who criticised him. She should have reprimanded him instead," said Aksi Muda.

The group reminded Harakah, the publicity organ of PAS, that it had promoted the forum as an "Islamic solution" to depression and suicide.

"Many vulnerable people are watching and can be 'triggered' by your words," said Aksi Muda.

The group did, however, commend two other panellists Ustaz Syed Abdul Kadir Aljoofre and Associate Professor Siti Aisyah Hassan for staying professional and giving the right message. - Mkini