In a shocking instance, a Malaysian teenager posted an Instagram poll on asking if she should take her life or not. After the majority (69%) of people said yes, the unidentified 16-year-old from Kuching in Sarawak committed suicide.
"Really Important, Help Me Choose D/L" the girl posted in her story hours before she jumped off the roof of a building on May 13, local media reported. Malaysian lawmakers called on authorities to investigate the reports.
Representational Image - Indiatimes
"According to a close friend of the victim, the 'D/L' meant 'Death/Life'," district police chief Aidil Bolhassan was quoted as saying by The Borneo Post newspaper. The poll showed 69% of the girl's followers chose 'D', Aidil told Reuters.
Ramkarpal Singh, a lawyer and member of parliament, said that those who voted for the teenager to die could be guilty of abetting suicide, and urged authorities to investigate the circumstances leading to her death.
"Would the girl still be alive today if the majority of netizens on her Instagram account discouraged her from taking her own life?" he said in a statement. "Would she have heeded the advice of netizens to seek professional help had they done so?"
Malaysian youth and sports minister, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, also called for a probe saying that rising suicide rates and mental health issues among young people needed to be taken seriously.
Representational Image - Unsplash
"It is very unfortunate a young life was lost in this manner," he said.
Under the Malaysian law, anyone convicted of abetting suicide of a minor could face the death penalty or can be jailed for 20 years.
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