Decriminalising suicide attempts a positive step in health reforms

 

A trio of DAP lawmakers has supported the government's plan to decriminalise attempted suicide, as announced in Parliament today.

In a joint statement, Bandar Kuching MP Kelvin Yii, Michelle Ng (Subang Jaya assemblyperson) and Lim Yi Wei (Kg Tunku assemblyperson) dubbed the step a progressive way forward in mental health reforms in the country.

Bandar Kuching MP Kelvin Yii

"Such fundamental reforms have been championed by mental health experts and activists for decades.

"Finally, we see this government having the much-needed political will to implement them - amidst a growing silent mental health pandemic in Malaysia," they said.

This was in response to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said presenting bills to decriminalise suicide for a first reading in Dewan Rakyat today.

The minister also proposed a moratorium on Section 309 of the Penal Code, which stipulates up to a year in jail, or a fine, or both, for those attempting suicide - until all amendments to decriminalise suicide are passed and gazetted.

Azalina also announced the strengthening of the Mental Health Act 2001, which among others, will see the creation of crisis intervention officer positions, and their empowerment with powers of arrest.

Short and long-term recommendations

The trio then suggested some short and long-term recommendations to strengthen the plan.

As a short team measure, they suggested increasing the budget for hospital-based psychiatric services to 2.4 percent of the total national health budget in upcoming budgets.

"Amend relevant clinical guidelines to ensure psychotherapy is introduced as a first line of treatment, alongside pharmacotherapy.

"Develop emphatic guidelines and modules to train first responders on handling people with mental illnesses," they said.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said

They also mooted three long-term recommendations - which include establishing multi-ministerial and multi-sectoral mechanisms for mental health.

Secondly, the number of mental health professionals should also be increased per capita, to improve the urban-rural divide, the trio added.

"[Also] improve national data and monitoring of mental health disorders.

"In doing so, we hope to implement reforms that are patient-centric and deliver better health outcomes for all." - Mkini