Malaysiakini :
Under financial, emotional and mental pressure in the Covid-19 pandemic, 9 Bangladeshis among more than 40 migrant workers have committed suicide in Malaysia since the movement control order (MCO) went into implementation on March 18.
According to the police, there have been at least 49 foreigners who committed suicide from March to October, the Malaysian online portal Malaysiakini reported.
Police said that 46 of the individuals are from countries that export labourers and mostly live in dormitories arranged by their employers. These dorms are often described as small and dirty spaces housing around eight people in a single room.
According to information received from the Malaysian Crime Investigation Department (CID), 14 of the deceased are from Myanmar, 9 each from Bangladesh and Nepal, 6 from Indonesia, 5 from India, 2 from Pakistan and 1 from Vietnam.
There was also a British national, an Australian and an individual of unknown nationality among the deceased.
Of the 49 deceased, 46 had valid documents, while three were undocumented.
Police also found that one of the deceased had mental health issues, while 48 others had financial or family problems. Most of them were between the ages of 26 and 45, while seven others were aged 19 to 25.
In this regard, Glorene Das, executive director of Tenaganita, a Malaysian human rights NGO that advocates for migrants and refugees, said, “The number indicated by the police is worrying and troubling. Indeed, there might be cases which are not reported, as they may be undocumented”.
Glorene Das said society must learn from the SARS outbreak, and ensure that all preparations, responses and recovery efforts are grounded in human rights.
She said financial and health planning in response to the pandemic has to be comprehensive, inclusive and take into account all people, including migrants and refugees.
“One of the guiding principles is that suicide is preventable, and that action should be taken now to protect people’s mental health,” Das added.
The Covid-19 pandemic has at times stoked anti-migrant sentiments in Malaysia, especially after an Al-Jazeera documentary critical of the treatment of migrants by the authorities was aired a few months ago.
Under financial, emotional and mental pressure in the Covid-19 pandemic, 9 Bangladeshis among more than 40 migrant workers have committed suicide in Malaysia since the movement control order (MCO) went into implementation on March 18.
According to the police, there have been at least 49 foreigners who committed suicide from March to October, the Malaysian online portal Malaysiakini reported.
Police said that 46 of the individuals are from countries that export labourers and mostly live in dormitories arranged by their employers. These dorms are often described as small and dirty spaces housing around eight people in a single room.
According to information received from the Malaysian Crime Investigation Department (CID), 14 of the deceased are from Myanmar, 9 each from Bangladesh and Nepal, 6 from Indonesia, 5 from India, 2 from Pakistan and 1 from Vietnam.
There was also a British national, an Australian and an individual of unknown nationality among the deceased.
Of the 49 deceased, 46 had valid documents, while three were undocumented.
Police also found that one of the deceased had mental health issues, while 48 others had financial or family problems. Most of them were between the ages of 26 and 45, while seven others were aged 19 to 25.
In this regard, Glorene Das, executive director of Tenaganita, a Malaysian human rights NGO that advocates for migrants and refugees, said, “The number indicated by the police is worrying and troubling. Indeed, there might be cases which are not reported, as they may be undocumented”.
Glorene Das said society must learn from the SARS outbreak, and ensure that all preparations, responses and recovery efforts are grounded in human rights.
She said financial and health planning in response to the pandemic has to be comprehensive, inclusive and take into account all people, including migrants and refugees.
“One of the guiding principles is that suicide is preventable, and that action should be taken now to protect people’s mental health,” Das added.
The Covid-19 pandemic has at times stoked anti-migrant sentiments in Malaysia, especially after an Al-Jazeera documentary critical of the treatment of migrants by the authorities was aired a few months ago.
