Don't politicise mental health, Miri MP says after PN rep's LGBT jibe

PARLIAMENT | Issues pertaining to mental health should not be turned into political ammunition, let alone used as a tool to humiliate anyone, said Miri MP Chiew Choon Man.

This comes after Jamaludin Yahya (Perikatan Nasional-Pasir Salak) suggested that the LGBT community be categorised under those who are mentally disordered.

Jamaludin put forth the suggestion when he interrupted Halimah Ali’s (PN–Kapar) speech during a debate on the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2023 to decriminalise suicide. The latter supported the suggestion and agreed to include it in her speech.

However, Chiew (above) retorted to Jamaludin’s “baseless” suggestions, asserting that it is not appropriate for any party to be labelled as mentally disordered without a medical basis or views from medical professionals.

“I hope all MPs in this House could respect every individual who is inside or outside the Dewan Rakyat

“Mental health issues are health issues that should be dealt with seriously and professionally by all.

“Therefore, I rebut Pasir Salak’s statement in Kapar’s debate just now, where he said that the LGBT community should be categorised under those with a mental health disorder,” Chiew said.

Earlier, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Ramkarpal Singh tabled the second reading of the amendment bill to provide crisis intervention officers from the listed bodies with powers to apprehend identified individuals.

This followed amendments to Section 309 of the Penal Code to decriminalise suicide attempts.

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