Kota Kinabalu: The year 2020 saw close to a dozen suicides and attempts in Sabah with at least nine known suicides and seven attempts compared to nine suicide cases in 2019. Kota Kinabalu alone registered at least seven suicide cases by hanging and three attempted suicide cases last year compared to the seven suicide cases in 2019.
In November last year, Befrienders Kota Kinabalu Publicity Director Jessie Ting was quoted as saying that some 30 per cent of the 1,375 calls received since the movement restriction controls were imposed in Sabah from mid-March due to the Covid-19 pandemic had suicidal tendencies and loss of hope in living.
She was quoted as saying that callers to Befrienders’ helplines ranged from those with loss of income, loss of job, financial difficulties, family breaking-up, difficulties in continuing their education, feeling sense of isolation due to the movement restrictions, loneliness, lack of social support and suffering from severe depression or mental illness.
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