PDRM statistics show 1,079 deaths by suicide in 2025, which is only marginally lower than the 1,114 deaths by suicide in 2024, prompting the government to get the media to help promote and create awareness on suicides.

Malaysia’s Ministry of Health was quoted as saying that ” suicide must no longer be seen as an isolated issue but as a national concern involing all Malaysians and must be managed through collective action.”

Currently, moves have been made to jointly issue a Malaysian Media Pledge backed by the Malaysian Media Council, National Union of Journalists Malaysia and the Malaysian Media Clubs Association to promote responsible journalism of mental health issues.

PDRM data revealed a shocking and alarming finding of an upward trajectory and a steep ascent of 981 cases in 2022, rising to 1,087 in 2023 which is a 10.80 percent increase before settling at 1,114 cases in 2024.

World Health Organisation data shows that more than 703,000 individuals die by committing suicide globally every year, an equivalent of one death every 40 seconds, which directly affects an estmated 135 other people.

Mal;aysia has repealed Section 309 of the Penal Code in the year 2025 decriminalising attempted suicides as a landmark shift from a punitive approach to focus more on giving care, intervention and rehabilitation to those who want to take their own lives.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE