KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 — The Mental Health Crisis Helpline, HEAL 15555, has received over 48,000 calls related to suicidal behaviour from 2022 until June this year, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
Zahid, who is National Social Council chairman, said there was an rise in reported suicide cases last year at 1,087, compared with 981 cases in 2022.
The council, which met today, agreed the roles of ministries and agencies in addressing suicidal behaviour must be carried out in an integrated and more proactive manner, he said.
He said this at a press conference after chairing the National Social Council meeting at the Parliament building here today.
In a statement later, Zahid, also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said the meeting also touched on the Reproductive and Social Health Education (PEERS) syllabus in schools under the Education Ministry.
He said the PEERS syllabus will be implemented based on the existing framework, along with proposed additional teaching and learning hours under the health education curriculum to be activated in the 2027 School Curriculum.
Zahid said the meeting also talked through Social Impact Assessment (SIA) implementations for development projects.
“From 2016 until March 2024, the SIA Report Review Panel Meetings evaluated SIA reports for 51 federal-level development projects and 162 state-level development projects,” he said.
The meeting also covered the achievements of the Malaysian Well-being Index 2022, Zahid said.
— Bernama
