MIRI: The recent public webinar titled ‘How to Respond to Someone who is Feeling Suicidal’ hosted by the Health, Counselling and Disability Services Department of Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) was well received by members of the public.
The participants included over 80 representatives of some 30 different institutions, including government departments and agencies; educational institutions in Miri, Kuching, Sabah and West Malaysia; non-governmental organisations; churches and private sector companies.
They also included a number of parents and members of the media.
The webinar was conducted in both English and Bahasa Malaysia by two of Curtin Malaysia’s registered university counsellors, Jessica Akang and Dorety Panggil.
Their talks covered the prevalence of suicides in Malaysia and globally, especially since the outbreak of the global pandemic; the demographics of suicide victims and the leading causes of suicide, as well as the signs and symptoms of suicidal people.
They also talked about the do’s and don’ts of dealing with suicidal people.
“I am really pleased that the response to the webinar was overwhelmingly positive and we had participation from across the country. The topic is relevant in the face of the stress experienced globally that cuts across age, socioeconomic status and culture,” said Dr Adeline Wong, director of Health, Counselling and Disability Services.
“We are working on a second part to this programme, looking into the four stages of suicide, and will open it to anyone who is interested. Participation will be free of charge.
“The programme helps more people understand the nature of suicide, how we may be able to intervene in the early stages, and how and why we would need to seek the help of professionals.”
Curtin Malaysia’s Health, Counselling and Disability Services Department supports the safety and wellbeing of the campus’ diverse community of students and staff through the provision of a wide range of counselling services, and health and disability related services at its Health Centre.
The department also organises seminars and talks highlighting health and safety issues, as well as community service projects involving staff and students as part of its community engagement initiatives.
For more information on Curtin Malaysia, visit curtin.edu.my, or look for Curtin Malaysia on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, or LinkedIn.
