Suicide attempt of poor, old man foiled

JAKARTA (JP): He was old and poor and apparently desperate about his sick wife.

But his attempt to take his own life on Saturday was foiled by his daughter-in-law and he, or at least his family, ended up Rp 162,000 poorer.

Djam'an, 72, of Jl. Kramat Sentiong in the Kramat subdistrict of Central Jakarta, was found in the nick of time by daughter-in- law Rini, who lives on the same street.

He was bleeding profusely from the neck, and doctors believe he tried to slash his throat with an apparently blunt knife.

With the help of neighbors, Rini took Djam'an to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital.

Rini said Djam'an visited her on Saturday morning and asked that she telephone his oldest daughter Ely with the message to visit him at his house as soon as possible because "I want to say goodbye to her".

"I thought he was planning to go somewhere but he refused to say where when I asked him," Rini told The Jakarta Post at the hospital's intensive care unit.

Rini, who is married to Djam'an's third son, went to a pay phone to make the call and later went to Djam'an's house to tell him Ely was not at home. "I was shocked to find him lying on the floor bleeding," she said.

Asked about a possible reason for the suicide attempt, Rini said Djam'an complained a lot about his wife's prolonged illness after a stroke. "He also said he was always short of money even though his children regularly send him money," she said.

Djam'an is not completely out of danger yet.

Doctors at the hospital said his condition was serious as he had lost so much blood.

He needs surgery, which would cost more money.

"We've spent Rp 162,000 for hospital expenses today, not including the cost of surgery," she said.(asa)