The Government is saddened by recent suicide cases, Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung said today.

Speaking to the media in the evening, Mr Cheung said he had a candid exchange with pan-democratic lawmakers.

He said: “We all agreed that we should do everything possible to stop people from taking their own lives. Nothing is more important than life, and we should do everything we can to help people, particularly those suffering from various mental depression.

“In the present environment, if they feel they are in difficulty, they should consult professionals and talk to more people, talk to their relatives, talk to their friends.”

Mr Cheung added non-governmental organisations involved in youth and family services have been mobilised, and promised to provide extra funding and additional resources for such organisations to help those in need.

“We feel deeply sorry and saddened by the recent suicide cases and we will do everything we can to stop this trend.”