Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii, Subang Jaya assemblyman Michelle Ng and Kampung Tunku assemblyman Lim Yi Wei said the government must put an end to its archaic suicide law and repeal Section 309 of the Penal Code as soon as possible.

“We urge the federal government to make this matter a priority and possibly table the amendments during the next Parliamentary session,” they said in a joint statement today.

Under Section 309, a person who attempts to commit suicide may be punished with imprisonment for up to a year, a fine, or both upon conviction.

The trio said a moratorium on all prosecutions for suicide attempts should be enforced for the time being.

They said the bill may be tabled first and enhancements in the law may come after.

“This is because attempted suicide charges are still being brought even as studies on the substituting laws are being carried out,” they said.

Yii, Ng and Lim said should there be any concern of a lacuna (no admissible law) upon repeal, the government may instruct the police to invoke their powers under Section 10 of the Mental Health Act in cases of attempted suicide to admit the person into a psychiatric hospital.

They said a national suicide registry should also be set up immediately to formulate targeted measures to address the rising suicide rate.

They cited data from the government which showed 902 cases of attempted suicide were prosecuted between 2018 and June 2021.

In October 2021, then deputy health minister Aaron Ago Dagang told the Dewan Rakyat the move to decriminalise attempted suicide has started but required some adjustments to the Penal Code.

In March this year, it was announced that the proposal to amend the Penal Code and decriminalise attempted suicide was still being studied by the Attorney-General’s Chambers.