Religious groups pray for reservoir suicide victims

A PRAYER session by various religious groups was held at Bedok Reservoir, following a spate of deaths there.

Uncannily, just about an hour before representatives from the Inter-Religious Organisation gathered at the reservoir’s floating platform on Saturday, another body was discovered there.

It was the sixth body since June.

The police received a call from a passer-by at 9.15am informing them of a body floating beside a wooden platform near the Berlin Wall panels in Bedok Reservoir Park.

The body of the man was brought to shore and paramedics pronounced him dead at 9.45am.

The deceased was a 48-year-old Singaporean, said a police spokesman.

The death has been classified as unnatural, and the police are investigating.

The prayer session was initiated by former foreign minister George Yeo, who used to be an MP for the area.

Suicide counsellors said that prompt action has to be taken to address the spate of deaths at the reservoir.

Psychiatrist Nelson Lee said: “It’s quite alarming. People are concerned about whether it is going to become a trend.”

He said the public had to be educated on spotting signs of depression in loved ones, and steps must be taken to reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues.

Dr Chia Boon Hock, a psychiatrist who has been studying suicide trends for more than 40 years, noted that the reservoir was easily accessible, making it difficult to implement any measures to guard against drowning. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network