Over 48,000 calls on suicidal behaviour made to mental health crisis helpline from 2022 until June this year, says DPM Zahid 

KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 — The Mental Health Crisis Helpline, HEAL 15555, received over 48,000 calls related to suicidal behaviour from 2022 until June this year, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

Ahmad Zahid, who is chairman of the National Social Council, said there was an increase in reported suicide cases last year, totalling 1,087 compared to 981 cases the previous year.

As such, the council which met today agreed that the roles of various ministries and relevant agencies in addressing the situation concerning suicidal behaviour in the country should be carried out in an integrated and more proactive manner, he said.

He told a press conference this after chairing the National Social Council meeting at the Parliament building here today.

In a statement later, Ahmad Zahid, who is also rural and regional development minister, said among other agendas discussed at the meeting was the Reproductive and Social Health Education (PEERS) syllabus in schools under the Education Ministry.

He said the PEERS syllabus was agreed to be implemented according to the existing framework, along with the proposed additional teaching and learning hours through the health education curriculum to be implemented in the 2027 School Curriculum.

Ahmad Zahid said that the meeting also raised the issue of the implementation of the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) for development projects.

“From 2016 until March 2024, the SIA Report Review Panel Meetings have evaluated SIA reports for 51 federal-level development projects and 162 state-level development projects,” he said.

The meeting had also discussed the achievements of the Malaysian Well-being Index (MyWI) 2022, Ahmad Zahid said. — Bernama