7 Malaysians kill themselves every day

Annie Freeda Cruez

KUALA LUMPUR, Sun. Suicides are taking a terrible toll on Malaysians with nearly 1,700 lives lost between January and Aug 31 this year. The Health Ministry estimates an average of seven suicides a day nationwide, a figure that does not indicate the true impact on the nation.

The reality is this: Every suicide directly or indirectly affects 12 family members and friends leading to nearly 30,000 Malaysians traumatised by suicides annually. The ministry’s health education division senior assistant director Wan Rokman Wan Yaacob said the most common forms of suicide in Malaysia were poisoning with pesticides and herbicides, hanging, jumping from buildings and drowning.

"Recently, carbon monoxide poisoning from exhaust fumes of vehicles has been increasing," he told the New Straits Times in an interview in conjunction with World Suicide Prevention Day 2005, which Malaysia is observing tomorrow. He attributed suicides to many complex and inter-related causes including poverty, unemployment, loss of loved ones, breakdown in relationships and a family history of suicide.

Other reasons included alcohol and drug abuse, history of physical and sexual abuse, social isolation and mental illness such as depression as well as serious physical ailments. According to him, suicides occurred when emotional pain brought on by stress factors exceeded the ability to cope. (NST)

That's sad, sad, sad to hear. Makes you wonder, what drove these individuals to commit these actions? What goes on in ones mind? What happen that can't be solved? This is the "blownup" part I was talking about. There may not be a right prevention to this kind of things but I believed that you need to believe in something, to believe in religion. It truly plays an important part in creating a balance and guide in ones live. In times of trouble, it can provide peace to the soul. Like the saying goes "No man in an island".