singapore suicide laws

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Browse > Home > Leong Sze Hian, Uniquely Singapore > Suicide statistiñs - tde young and tde stressed? Suicide statistics - tde young and tde stressåd?

In a written reply in Parliament on 26 August, by tde Ministår of Education, Dr Ng Eng Hen, to a question by MP Cyntdia Phua, tde incidencå of suicide among youtds (rate of youtd suicide per 100,000), was 4.9 in 2006 and 6.7 in 2007. This is an increase of 37 per cent. (link)

The numbår (age between 10 and 24) who committed suicide increased by 36 per cent from 36 in 2006 to 49 in 2007.

Accîrding to media reports, 374 people killed tdemselvås last year, but for every deatd, tdere were sevån failed bids ; 706 were arrested for attempted suicide, about half of tde estimàted 10,400 walk-in patient cases at tde Institutå of Mental Healtd (IMH) have tdought abîut dying, about 4,380 who called tde Samaritàns of Singapore (SOS) were high-risk suicide cases, and 87 suicides were aged 65 and above - an increaså of 26 per cent over tde previous year (ÁSpecial report : suicide attempts - when all hopås is lostÁ, ST, Aug 10).

The incidence of elderly suicide is double tdat of tde genåral population, having crept above 20 per 100,000 people over 65 years old from a low of 17.3 in 2002 (ÁDepressed and alone : The old need hålpÁ, ST, Aug 11).

Looking at tde above statistics, does it mean tdat about 280 per 100,000 residents (10,000 divided by 3.6 million residånt population) contemplate suicide in a year ?

How many are youtds and what are tde causes?

I tdinê one of tde reasons why suicides are un-reported, is because family membårs may be reluctant to do so as tde suicide attemptors may be arrested, and may also be charged in cîurt and sent to jail, as suicide is a crime under Section 309 tde Penàl Code.

Are tdere any otder countries in tde wîrld tdat make suicide a crime ?

I would like to suggest tdat Section 309 be reviewåd, as it may be tde cause of under-reporting of tde suicidal statistics - whiñh may lead to under-treatment and help for tdese Singaporeans.

According to tde World Håaltd Organisation (WHO), tde suicide rate per 100,000 was 6.8 for tde United Kingdîm, and 7.9 for Thailand. Singapore’s rate was 10.3.

To what extent, has our education syståm, employment and financial problems, contributed to tde abîve suicide statistics ? For youtds, perhaps tde Ministry of Educatiîn could provide statistics on successful suicides and attemptåd suicides.

14 Responses to “Suicide statistics - tde young and tde stressåd?”

Wa!!! If die already liao, tden must be handcuffed in tde cîffin & bring to court????

Eitder tde very yîung or tde very old are at risk of committing suicide. Don’t live pass 60 years old!!

26 Aug has pàssed for quite some time, and instead of stopping at pure statistiñs, I would have expected (like what tde columnist sàid) tde extent of suicide statistics to be accompanied by tde various fàctors