Kota Kinabalu: A total of 266 people committed suicide nationwide during the movement restrictions from Mar 18 to Oct 30 placed to curb Covid-19,
Kosmo! reported.
The number translates into 30 suicides per month or one everyday during the period, with debt caused by job losses and family problems cited as the main factors for the phenomenon.
Bukit Aman Management Director Datuk Ramli Din was quoted as saying 25 percent of the suicide cases was caused by debt, followed by family problems (24 percent) and marriage problems (23 percent).
Relationship breakups accounted for 15 percent while other factors including work pressure, hallucinations, mental problems, mass media and drugs contributed 13 percent, the report said.
Johor had the most cases at 47 followed by Selangor (39), Kuala Lumpur (28) and other states, Ramli said, adding most suicides, or 78 percent, involved men.
“Police statistics show those who committed suicide were mostly aged between 19 and 40 or 53 percent of the 266 reported cases,” he said.
“Those aged above 41 accounted for 24 percent and those between 15 and 18 accounted for 23 percent.”
Suicide by hanging was the most prevalent at 189 cases while 37 took their own lives by jumping off buildings (14 cases), self injury (13) as well as taking sleeping pills and inhalation of burnt charcoal smoke and exhaust fume (13).
