Deputy Health Minister II Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang said the government will launch the national strategic action plan on mental health 2020-2025 on October 10 in conjunction with World Mental Health Day. — Reuters pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 – The move to decriminalise suicide has been set in motion with Cabinet to finetune amendments to the Penal Code on the matter, Deputy Health Minister II Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang said in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He said the home minister and the attorney-general have agreed to abolish Section 309 of the Penal Code.
“Decriminalisastion of suicide under Section 309 of the Penal Code has indeed been discussed for a long time and the process is underway.
“Now it is with the Cabinet for amendments,” Aaron told Kemaman MP Che Alias Hamid who asked about it earlier.
Currently, anyone who attempts suicide and survives faces criminal prosecution, where those convicted can be punished with a jail term of up to one year or fined, or both.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin as well as Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah are among the advocates to decriminalise suicide.
Both expressed their views recently during the World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10.
In a related matter, Aaron said the government will launch the national strategic action plan on mental health 2020-2025 on October 10 in conjunction with World Mental Health Day.
He said the plan will focus on collaboration between government agencies, non-government agencies as well as NGOs to help the people affected with mental health issues especially during the pandemic.