High Court revises RM3,000 fine to good behaviour bond for man who attempted suicide

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here has revised a RM3,000 fine imposed by a Magistrate’s Court on a 28-year-old man who tried to commit suicide earlier this month to a good behaviour bond.

Judicial Commissioner Aslam Zainuddin made the decision after calling the case for a revision here on Tuesday (Aug 11).

The judge invoked his discretionary powers to revise cases from lower courts in accordance with Section 323 and Section 327 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohammad Isa Mohamed said that the magistrate did not err in its decision to impose a fine against the accused.

He informed the court that the man will be facing a charge under Section 15 of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which refers to the self-administration of drugs.

Meanwhile, the accused told the court that he suffered from depression until he did not eat for three days.

"My family lives separately from me. I live on my own. I was doing work at a madrasah (religious school)," said the accused, who was unrepresented

After hearing the man, JC Aslam advised him to seek help for his depression.

The court then made an order for the man to be bound over for a year on a good behaviour bond with one surety, with a bond of RM3,000 without sureties if he breaches the terms of the good behaviour bond.

"The order of the magistrate from the court below is therefore set aside," JC Aslam said.

On Aug 4, a Magistrate's Court here fined the unemployed 28-year-old man RM3,000 in default of three months jail after he pleaded guilty to attempting suicide.

He admitted to committing the offence at a flat in Jalan Cheras, here at 4.45am, on August 1.

The man was charged under Section 309 of the Penal Code which provides for a maximum jail term of one year or a fine or both upon conviction.

The Star reported that between March and July, the National Fire and Rescue Department attended to 88 suicide attempts, with 78 people rescued, seven injured and three fatalities.

The department’s operations director Nor Hisham Mohammad said that June was their busiest month with 21 cases around the country.