Anger erupts at those who urged Sarawak teen on Instagram to die

KUALA LUMPUR — Social media users reacted with regret and anger over the death of a Sarawakian teenager, who reportedly jumped to her death on Monday night (May 13), hours after she asked on Instagram whether she should live or die.

Numerous messages of condolences have appeared on the 16-year-old’s Instagram account, with many slamming those who had told her to choose death over life.

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“Such heinous and sadistic society we live in,” Mr Nelson Wong said on Twitter.

Ms Faain Fatihah said the girl’s friends should have given her advice, adding that the people who voted “D” for death “will be haunted by a million regrets”.

Ms Belle Annuar said she could only imagine the guilt those who told her to choose death were feeling.

“(Having) suicidal thought is not seeking for attention, it is an indication of an illness. Our society still has too little knowledge about it.

“Please people, I believe any religion would teach us to be nice to others. Let this be a lesson to us all.

“A young girl had just agreed to 69 per cent of her FRIENDS whom voted for her to be dead. RIP poor lil soul. I am so very sorry,” the Facebook user wrote.

Mr Muhammad Amir Al Fateh also expressed regret over the loss of a young life.

“The child was desperate, but many others thought she was playing around. When (you) come across such posts, send a direct message to ask if the person has a problem.

“Even if we can’t help much, at least we can do something to prevent (death). It’s a pity. So young,” he wrote on Facebook.

Ms Magdelina Digat said those who voted “D” must have deactivated their Instagram accounts by now.

The girl who asked on Instagram on Monday whether to choose life or death was found dead the same day on a street in Batu Kawa in Padawan. Police said a witness reported that the girl had jumped off the building.

The teenager had posted a poll which read: “Really Important, Help Me Choose D/L”.

“D” was apparently for death and “L”, life. The poll, which is no longer found in her Instagram account, saw 69 per cent vote for D.

Hours after the poll was posted, the girl was found dead.

It is reported that the girl had been disappointed in her stepfather, who works in Singapore and has seldom returned to Kuching since remarrying a Vietnamese.

Earlier on Wednesday, Bukit Gelugor Member of Parliament and lawyer Ramkarpal Singh urged the authorities to look into the teen’s social media account to find out the circumstances that led to her death.

The Democratic Action Party national legal bureau chairman said things might have turned out differently had the teen’s followers tried to talk her out of her suicide plan.

Mr Ramkarpal said the case should not be classified as sudden death without further investigation.

“It is important that incidents such as this do not repeat themselves in the future, and the matter must be thoroughly investigated and not treated as an isolated case.

“Since attempted suicide is an offence in this country, it follows that abetting one to attempt suicide should be, too,” he said. THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT