Abortion
One of the most difficult questions facing the right to life concerns the precise definition of the term ‘human life’- when exactly does ‘life’ begin and end? This controversial issue has its focus with the exact point of the commencement of human life. If an unborn child is treated as a living person, then it would be accorded the ‘right to life’ under the constitution. Thus, laws concerning abortion would effectively be rendered unconstitutional.

In Singapore, the Penal Code lays out the sanctions imposed if one does not comply with the Termination of Pregnancy Act- which limits abortion to patients who have not been pregnant for more than 24 weeks. In Malaysia, the Penal Code states that abortion is permissible within 120 days of conception, only if the pregnancy were to pose a threat to an expecting mother’s physical or mental health.  This shows that in these two jurisdictions, the states are unwilling to confer the ‘right to life’ to fetuses younger than the stipulated periods. The legislation there has accorded greater weight to the safety and security of expecting mothers who are threatened by their unborn child, and made provisions for their survival.[FIND YOUR JOURNAL^^]

This is in contrast with the approach taken in other modern jurisdictions, such as the Philippines, which provides that the state shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception. The Czech Republic also states that human life deserves to be protected before birth. It is notable that the latter two jurisdictions have a predominatly Catholic majority, who are staunchly pro-life. Therefore, chances of a  universal concensus on this issue are slim due to the difficulty in defining the beginning of life.[PROF**]

Suicide