KUALA LUMPUR: The LGBT community should be categorised as those with mental health issues, Perikatan MPs suggest.
The suggestion was put forward by Jamaluddin Yahya (PN-Pasir Salak) during the debate on the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2023 to decriminalise suicide by Dr Halimah Ali (PN-Kapar).
"So do you agree... with my suggestion that the LGBT community be included under the mental disorder category?" Jamaluddin asked.
In response, Halimah said she would consider the suggestion in her speech.
"Thank you, Pasir Salak. Consider it already included in my speech," she replied, briefly.
Halimah proceeded with her debate saying that mental disorder was a huge issue which everyone needed to address.
"We need to sit together to address the issue holistically and overcome this matter, especially of those who are even considering commit suicide," Halimah said.
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Meanwhile, Chiew Choon Man (PH-Miri) condemned the statement made by Jamaluddin saying that it was inappropriate.
"Mental health issues are a health issue that should be addressed seriously and professionally by everyone.
"It is inappropriate for us to simply categorise a particular group as having mental health issues without a medical or professional basis.
"Therefore, I’m against the statement made by Pasir Salak during the debate by Kapar earlier saying the LGBT community should be categorised as a mental disorder," he said during his debate speech.
Earlier, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Ramkarpal Singh tabled the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2023 to decriminalise suicide for its second reading.
The Dewan Rakyat on Monday (May 22) approved the bill to abolish Section 309 of the Penal Code, which provides penalties for suicide attempts, in a move to decriminalise suicide in Malaysia.
The move to decriminalise suicide will also see amendments to two other laws, namely the Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) (No.2) 2023 and Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2023.
