Beliawanis MCA: Mental health solutions must be emotionally inclusive, unbiased
Its national chairperson Ivone Low Yi Wen was referring to a statement made by State Public Health and Environment Committee chairman Jamaliah Jamaluddin on Monday (July 7).
Jamaliah told the Selangor State Legislative Assembly that a total of 1,020 out of 36,428 secondary school students in Selangor have shown early signs of being at high risk for depression.
The Bandar Utama assemblywoman also said the findings, based on the Minda Sihat (Healthy Mind) Mental Health Screening Analysis for the 2024/2025 school session, indicated that overall psychosocial behaviour among students remains under control.
Stressing on the importance of speaking out about mental health, Low said while the situation remains under control, there is still room for improvement.
'While significant strides have been made to address it and reduce the stigma surrounding it, we must continue our efforts to acknowledge the very real challenges that students with depression face,' she remarked.
First and foremost, according to Low, funding for mental health programmes must be adequate as depression, alongside other mental health conditions such as anxiety, bipolar disorder and even learning disabilities such as ADHD, can have severe consequences if left untreated.
'Sufficient funding would ensure that intervention programmes are taken seriously, making it clear that these are not just empty words but essential initiatives for positive change,' she added.
She further stressed that mental health issues must be addressed at all levels regardless whether students have been formally diagnosed with depression or otherwise.
'For example, the risk of mental illness should be taught in a formal and serious manner, rather than being dismissed or laughed off as something that 'can't happen to me'. It is vital to recognise that these issues should never be trivialised,' she said.
'Just because one may not personally experience them does not make them any less important; mental health can affect anyone.'
Regarding school programmes and the current scope of intervention at educational levels, Low also suggested that regular checks should be carried out to ensure that new initiatives are being implemented effectively and treated with the seriousness they deserve.
This should not be seen as an additional burden on already overloaded curricula as there must be a balance between strong implementation and a compassionate, supportive environment for affected students.
Low said these modules should not focus solely on techniques but also emphasise the importance of teacher/educator and peer support as teaching about mental health is pointless if there is no emotional support available.
'Finally, fellow Malaysians must also examine how we conduct ourselves as a society and whether our behaviours are contributing to the rising rates of mental health issues,' she reckoned.
'Factors such as academic pressure, unhealthy habits, family stress, and other potential stressors could be exacerbating the mental health crisis. To truly address depression, we must look at the issue from all angles.' ‒ July 8, 2025
Main image: Pexels/Mikhail Nilov
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BELIAWANIS MCA has expressed concern over the recent report revealing that over 1,000 secondary school students are at risk of depression. Its national chairperson Ivone Low Yi Wen was referring to a statement made by State Public Health and Environment Committee chairman Jamaliah Jamaluddin on Monday (July 7). Jamaliah told the Selangor State Legislative Assembly that a total of 1,020 out of 36,428 secondary school students in Selangor have shown early signs of being at high risk for depression. The Bandar Utama assemblywoman also said the findings, based on the Minda Sihat (Healthy Mind) Mental Health Screening Analysis for the 2024/2025 school session, indicated that overall psychosocial behaviour among students remains under control. Stressing on the importance of speaking out about mental health, Low said while the situation remains under control, there is still room for improvement. 'While significant strides have been made to address it and reduce the stigma surrounding it, we must continue our efforts to acknowledge the very real challenges that students with depression face,' she remarked. First and foremost, according to Low, funding for mental health programmes must be adequate as depression, alongside other mental health conditions such as anxiety, bipolar disorder and even learning disabilities such as ADHD, can have severe consequences if left untreated. 'Sufficient funding would ensure that intervention programmes are taken seriously, making it clear that these are not just empty words but essential initiatives for positive change,' she added. She further stressed that mental health issues must be addressed at all levels regardless whether students have been formally diagnosed with depression or otherwise. 'For example, the risk of mental illness should be taught in a formal and serious manner, rather than being dismissed or laughed off as something that 'can't happen to me'. It is vital to recognise that these issues should never be trivialised,' she said. 'Just because one may not personally experience them does not make them any less important; mental health can affect anyone.' Regarding school programmes and the current scope of intervention at educational levels, Low also suggested that regular checks should be carried out to ensure that new initiatives are being implemented effectively and treated with the seriousness they deserve. This should not be seen as an additional burden on already overloaded curricula as there must be a balance between strong implementation and a compassionate, supportive environment for affected students. Low said these modules should not focus solely on techniques but also emphasise the importance of teacher/educator and peer support as teaching about mental health is pointless if there is no emotional support available. 'Finally, fellow Malaysians must also examine how we conduct ourselves as a society and whether our behaviours are contributing to the rising rates of mental health issues,' she reckoned. 'Factors such as academic pressure, unhealthy habits, family stress, and other potential stressors could be exacerbating the mental health crisis. To truly address depression, we must look at the issue from all angles.' ‒ July 8, 2025 Main image: Pexels/Mikhail Nilov
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