The coroner's court heard this as the brother and friends of 16-year-old medium Ku Witaya took the stand in court on Tuesday.
(a) Witaya had convinced seven other teenagers to take part in the suicide pact last year.
Witaya and Sia Chan Hong fell nine storeys to their death, while the others backed out at the last minute.
The tragedy happened at Block 667, Jalan Damai in Kaki Bukit in the wee hours of August 23 last year.
Witaya had told them the world is coming to an end and they would be resurrected as slayers of demons.
(b)On Tuesday, Witaya's friends testified that he seemed troubled and stressed over his parents' divorce and financial problems. One said Witaya had previously mentioned that death will solve all his problems.
(c)A diary entry by one of the witnesses was also read in court. The entry said he was now going to be a slayer and that he cannot be a doctor or a lawyer when he grows up.
- CNA/ir
From this article, I would like to draw your attention to the following phrases:
(a) Witaya had convinced seven other teenagers to take part in the suicide pact last year.
Teenagers need to belong to feel that they are wanted/needed/accepted and being part of a group actually raises their self esteem. Further, peers are of greater importance to these teenagers as they seek to break away from parental influences, values and controls.
(b)On Tuesday, Witaya's friends testified that he seemed troubled and stressed over his parents' divorce and financial problems. One said Witaya had previously mentioned that death will solve all his problems.
Suicide is a classic tool used by some teenagers to run away from problems. Some of these young people attempt to withdraw by taking their own lives. Acts of suicide often indicate a real desire to die, but it also indicates that the young person is also crying for help.
(c)A diary entry by one of the witnesses was also read in court. The entry said he was now going to be a slayer and that he cannot be a doctor or a lawyer when he grows up.
Did he really wanted to be a lawyer or doctor when he grew up? Or was it due to parental pressure?
Piecing together the puzzle...A feable attempt at psychoanalysis
I think there were several cumulating factors that resulted in this tragedy. However, as there was not much information available in the article, much can only be extrapolated from whatever is available.
Based on the above 4 points, it is apparent that the teenager was running away from some sort of problem. The reported case of parental and financial problems may only be the straw that broke the camel's back. He has some form of escapisim, in his medium world where he can be useful and needed. This is depicted by his conviction that he can be resurrected as slayer of devils. Further, it is interesting to note that he is convienced that the world will come to an end and demons will rule the world. He had a fatalistic view that the world is all bad and nothing can be done to save it. This seemed to suggest that he had seen the ugly truth of the woes of adult lifes (perhaps from his parents divorce, financial woes and untold miseries that he might have) and decided that he wanted no part in this evil world. This is a real pity, as nobody is able to guide him, to offer him a more balanced view of this world(that the world is not all bad). And to extrapolate on this further, perhaps his resentment of his own impending adult life pushed him into believing that by committing suicide, he is able to avoid the path into adulthood.
Whichever the case, it was also unfortunate that he was charismatic enough to convience his peers in believing his inner world and form followers out of them (even 18 years old). A pity, considering that someone as charismatic as him may someday grow up to be a good leader, if he was given the chance to be shown the proper way...
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