KUALA LUMPUR – It is still an offence to abet suicide attempts despite the proposed Penal Code amendments aimed at decriminalising suicide, said Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) Ramkarpal Singh.
Ramkarpal (Bukit Gelugor-PH) told Dewan Rakyat during the second reading that suicide abetment remains an offence under Sections 305 and 306 of the Penal Code.
“The offence of being an accomplice to suicide and attempted suicide is maintained and differentiated based on the category of victim.
“The punishment must be heavier for accomplices to suicide attempts involving children and those who lack mental capacity compared with other victims, because this vulnerable group of individuals is exposed to exploitation.”
Meanwhile, Ramkarpal said Section 309 of the Penal Code, which specifies suicide attempts as an offence, is an old British law based on the outdated notion that criminalisation is the best way to prevent suicides.
“Now based on approaches taken by other nations, it can be seen that medical treatment and not prosecution is the best course of action.”
The decision to abolish Section 309, he said, is based on a few factors including the prevalence of depression among Malaysians.
Citing a 2019 Health Ministry study, he said 2.3% of individuals above 16 years old (500,000 people) suffer from depression.
He added that the Health Ministry’s psychosocial assistance hotline received 212,319 distress calls in 2021, five times higher than in 2020 (44,061 distress calls).
“Studies showed that individuals who experience depression are 20 times more at risk to have suicidal tendencies.” – The Vibes, May 22, 2023
