Sashidaran Gunathevan
A TikToker committed suicide at her home in Subang Jaya after a cyberbullying incident on the application.
Mother of three, Shashikala Nadarajah, 44, was reportedly cyberbullied on her Tik Tok account.
Shasikala was popular for posting Tik Tok videos about cyberbullying, sexual harrasement, animal rights, and homeschooling.
She also showcases her handbag collection every now and then to her 30,000 followers.
Shashikala’s tragic death
Early Sunday morning, Tik Toker Rose Veronica posted a video from the University of Malaya Medical Center revealing Shashikala’s death.
“The reason she took her life stemmed from the mental torture she received from some of her followers,” said Veronica.
She also said that Shashikala could not endure the cyber abuse from the comments on her Tik Tok.
In a video posted today, Veronica said that Shashikala’s funeral concluded yesterday.
“Many well-wishers wanted to meet the family to share their grief. However, the family do not wish to meet anyone at this point.
“It would take some time for them to recover from this tragedy,” Veronica added.
Shashikala joyfully posted a video on Tik Tok three days ago on her decision to homeschool her daughters.
She even gave tips for parents interested in exploring homeschooling for their children.
A look at Sashikala’s Tik Tok posts reveals that she receives hateful comments on her appearance, family, and outspoken nature.
Nevertheless, she confronts them bravely by posting a reply video.
“No matter how much everyone is trolling me, I will continue being myself. Because I love myself,” Sashikala posted on her TikTok last month.
Police classified case as sudden death
Subang Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Abd Khalid Othman said they received information about the incident at around 11.51pm on Saturday.
“We were informed that the woman was still breathing when her family found her and rushed her to hospital. She died on the way.
“The deceased has been identified as a 44-year-old tuition teacher who lived with her husband and children,” he said in a statement on Monday (Aug 8).
He said initial investigations revealed the deceased had been experiencing emotional stress and was receiving treatment at a private clinic at Petaling Jaya.
“We conducted an examination on the scene, as well as a physical examination of the deceased and found no evidence of criminal elements.
“We have classified the case as sudden death (SDR),” he said, adding that a post mortem was conducted at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre.
The cyberbullying culture in Malaysia
In mid-2019, Malaysians were shocked to learn that a 16-year-old girl in Sarawak leapt out from a third-floor shop lot window, instantly killing her.
Just days before that, she had posted an online poll asking her followers to vote if she should continue living or end her life.
69% voted she should end her life.
In 2020, another 20-year-old girl committed suicide a year later after a colleague posted a TikTok video of him teasing her playfully.
The video was reposted by an admin of a Facebook Troll Page, which invited hundreds of abusive comments condemning her act because her colleague was a “foreigner”.
Earlier this year, Unicef released a report saying Malaysia ranks second in Asia in 2020 for cyberbullying among youths.
Looking at recent cases, cyberbullying is becoming an increasingly prominent problem in Malaysia.
Mental health Dr Thilagam Suppiah, a mental health specialist, said specific traits are shown by cyberbullying victims.
She added that they would show moodiness, anger, and anxiety when discussing social media with their friends.
“If you notice the victims behaving in such a manner, it is best that we get in touch with Befrienders or mental health practitioners,”
“An early detection would prevent suicide attempts and save lives,” said Dr Thilagam.
If you are feeling depressed or suicidal or know someone who is, please call the following hotlines:
Talian Kasih
Hotline: 15999
The Befrienders
Hotline: 03-76272929
Agape Counselling Centre Malaysia
Hotline: 03-77855955 or 03-77810800
Life Line Association Malaysia
Hotline: 03-42657995
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