KJ: Cabinet to wait for AGC's review on decriminalising suicide

 

The cabinet has decided there is no need for a moratorium on criminalising suicide at the moment, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

He said the cabinet would await the views of the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) on whether attempted suicide can be repealed as a crime before making a decision.

“I have raised this in the cabinet for us to have a moratorium.

“However, the cabinet’s view is to let this matter be finalised at the AGC level, that there is no need to have a moratorium.

“Let us get the feedback first on whether suicide can be decriminalised, so we are still waiting (for the AGC’s response).

“After that, the cabinet will make its decision,” Khairy said when asked about the progress of the decriminalisation of suicide in a press conference at Eastin Hotel in Petaling Jaya today.

Under Section 309 of the Penal Code, attempting suicide is punishable by up to one-year imprisonment, a fine, or both.

In Oct 2021, deputy health minister Aaron Ago Dagang revealed in the Dewan Rakyat that efforts to decriminalise suicide is moving forward after both the Home Ministry and Attorney-General’s Chambers have agreed to it.

The Health Ministry had previously backed a push to decriminalise suicide, with its director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah and Khairy speaking out on mental health.

In March this year, the Selangor state government urged the federal government to hasten its moratorium on criminalising suicide. - Mkini