SEPTEMBER 10 — Step closer to connect someone to life and the help they want... the help they need. In depths of despair, when the thought to end one’s life comes, we should be there.

The "we” here is no more just mental health professionals, government, civil society, but each of us – family, friend, schoolmate, co-worker, neighbour. Everyone has to work together to stop suicides which are already at grave numbers.

Annually, close to 800,000 people die due to suicide. This means every 40 seconds, one person dies from suicide.

In Malaysia, the suicide mortality rate is 5.5 per 100,000 people. In a population of 32 million people, that would mean 1,760 deaths by suicide per year.

With each death, there may have been more than 10 others attempting suicide and many more who would have been affected.

The theme of this year’s World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10 is "Working Together to Prevent Suicide.”

Inter-organisational collaborative work to reduce gaps within the service provision for individuals who have attempted or those who are bereaved by suicide is needed. The message is clear: Suicide is preventable, and we need to work together to prevent it.

Government and non-governmental organisations in Malaysia have always been working together and complementing each other in efforts to create mental health and suicide prevention awareness.

And in this aspect, efforts are now underway to decriminalise suicide in this country. Just recently an unemployed man who was going through family issues was charged under Section 309 of the Penal Code which entails a maximum jail term of one year, or fine, or a combination.

People are afraid to admit to wanting to kill themselves and get the help they need. An act of an intensely troubled person is deemed criminal, when instead mental health support systems should respond quickly.

Reflecting on the fact that the loan moratorium which is part of the national Covid-19 Financial Relief Scheme will end this month, we can anticipate many more people who will undergo financial constraints.

Greater burdens and stresses are coming. So too should be greater efforts at reaching out to those who are troubled by this and other mentally and emotionally disturbing issues.

The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) is putting out the call to "step closer"... to connect someone to life and the help they want.

By stepping closer we can: