SIBU: Malaysia recorded close to 1,000 suicides last year, and this could happen to anyone, including doctors, said Sibu Health Officer Dr Teh Jo Hun.

More than 4,400 cases of suicides were recorded in the country between 2019 and 2023, he said, adding that suicide rate in Sarawak is relatively low.

Sarawak recorded a total of 286 suicides from 2017 to 2023.

However, Teh also said the number of reported cases of suicides did not include those occurring in remote areas or those unreported.

A 2018 National Health and Morbidity Survey reported that 10 per cent of youth in the country had suicidal inclination, he said.

In the past 10 years, the health ministry had launched many suicide prevention campaigns, including the release of suicide prevention guidelines in 2013 and a special hotline 15555 set up in 2021.

Based on the report in August 2023, the hotline had received 24,000 calls since its inception.

Even if the hotline only managed to save the life of 1 per cent, it is equivalent to saving many lives, Teh said.

“The recent case of a doctor committing suicide in Sabah has reminded us that suicide cases could happen to anyone, including doctors and celebrities,” he said at the launch of “Creating Hope Through Action, Changing the Narrative on Suicide” programme jointly organised by University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) and Sibu Health Office on Tuesday.

Sponsored by Sibu Member of Parliament Oscar Ling, the programme was held at Tun Abul Taib Mahmud Chancellor Hall, University of Technology Sarawak.