PETALING JAYA: The Ministry of Health (MOH) is still waiting for feedback from the Attorney-General's Chambers on the amendment to Act 309 of the Penal Code, involving a moratorium (suspension) on the prosecution and conviction of attempts to commit suicide.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the Cabinet was of the view that the matter would have to be finalised at the Attorney-General's Chambers level before the government makes a decision.

"I have raised the issue on this moratorium and the Cabinet feels that before we decide, we need to get views if suicide attempts can be decriminalised," he told reporters after officiating the dialogue session in conjunction with the hospital directors' conference here today.

Earlier, the MOH had submitted to the Cabinet a memorandum for a moratorium on the prosecution and conviction involving attempted suicides.

The memorandum is in an effort to decriminalise suicide attempts and to defer or repeal sentencing of the offence under Section 309 of the Penal Code until amendments to the Act are made.

Under Section 309 of the Penal Code, whoever attempts to commit suicide can be jailed up to one year, fined, or both.

-- BERNAMA