Suicide attempt of poor, old man foiled

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)