Ministry pledges to support mental, emotional, social well-being of youths
KUCHING (July 30): The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development is committed to supporting the mental, emotional, and social well-being of youth as part of its broader agenda of youth empowerment, its minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said.
He pointed out that mental health cannot be treated in isolation but must be approached holistically by addressing the external systems that influence youth development.
'It must be part of the ecosystem that includes education, employment, digital access, entrepreneurship, and leadership development,' he said at the closing ceremony of the Sarawak International Conference on Youth Mental Health here yesterday.
He urged for a cultural shift in how society addresses youth mental wellness—from silence and stigma to proactive support and inclusion.
'We are living in an era in which youth mental health is increasingly subjected to pressures from various directions. Our young people are navigating a complex world marked by academic pressure, economic uncertainty, digital overload, broken family structures, and often, limited access to support systems,' he said.
He said according to global reports, one in five adolescents is estimated to struggle with mental health issues.
'In Malaysia, the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) in recent years had shown a worrying increase in depression, anxiety, and stress levels among youth. This trend is also reflected in Sarawak.
'However, what is more concerning is that many youths suffer in silence not because they are unwilling to seek help, but because help is either inaccessible, unaffordable, or stigmatised.
'In rural and marginalised areas, mental health services remain sparse. Even in urban areas, young people often lack the language, the confidence, or the safe space to voice their inner struggles,' he said.
Abdul Karim said Sarawak is one of three states in the country to collaborate with the Institute of Youth Research Malaysia (IYRES) to conduct ground-level surveys on youth aspirations and wellness.
'We are now moving to the second phase because the last survey we did was in 2018, if I am not mistaken. When they did the survey last time, we have only 40 districts and this time, our districts have increased to 45.
'The surveyors who are university lecturers, they really go down to the ground and interview the youth to see their perspective towards aspirations, the government and any shortcomings. That reflects how deeply concerned we are towards the youth,' he said.
On the conference, Abdul Karim said it was conceptualised not only as an academic platform, but also as a movement for inclusivity, visibility and empowerment.
'This programme is essential as mental health is fundamentally a development issue. If we are committed to equipping our youth to become the next generation of leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, and changemakers, we must begin by ensuring their mental resilience, emotional well-being and psychological safety.'
He hoped that the inaugural conference served more than just a discussion platform, but also as a catalyst for change—inspiring new perspectives, fostering impactful connections, and igniting a deeper commitment to prioritising youth mental health in all areas of development.
More than 300 youth delegates participated in the two-day conference organised by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development in collaboration with IYRES.
Also present was the ministry's permanent secretary Morshidi Fredrick.
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"A key component (of the programme) is the Young Doctors Club, established in both primary and secondary schools, where students are trained as peer educators to promote messages on nutrition and physical activity,' MOH said. HePiLI has been implemented in 6,076 kindergartens/preschools through the 'Tunas Doktor Muda' programme; and in 3,530 primary schools and 900 secondary schools nationwide. MOH has also formed a dedicated taskforce committee to address obesity in Malaysia and implemented the 'National Strategic Plan to Combat the Double Burden of Malnutrition among Children (2023-2030)', which involves various parties. Through this plan, the ministry has set a target to reduce the rate of overweight children under the age of five to three percent by the year 2030, compared to the current rate of six percent recorded in NHMS 2022. Meanwhile, for children aged five to 17, the National Plan of Action for Nutrition Malaysia III (2016-2025) has set a target to maintain obesity and overweight rates at the base rates recorded in 2015, with no further increase. The base rates are: for children aged five to nine (obesity 14.8 percent and overweight 12.0 percent); children aged 10 to 14 (obesity 14.4 percent, overweight 16.0 percent); and children aged 15 to 17 (obesity 9.6 percent and overweight 14.4 percent). MOH's key initiatives are being carried out through its 'Policy Options to Combat Obesity in Malaysia' starting in 2016. The initiatives were improved under its 'Reviewed Policy Options to Combat Obesity in Malaysia (2021-2025)', with 60 percent of initiatives targeting child-centric settings such as schools and kindergartens. "One such initiative is the Healthy Meals in Schools (HiTS) programme, which ensures students are provided only with nutritious meals during recess. Full implementation of HiTS (without the sale of other food items at canteens) helps reduce the risk of overeating and address the sale of unhealthy food in schools,' the ministry added. FIRST 1,000 DAYS OF LIFE MOH has also implemented the 'First 1,000 Days of Life' initiative, which targets pregnant mothers and children up to two years old. It focuses on nutritional care and health as a preventive measure against childhood obesity. "This period is considered a golden phase in children's development, where optimal nutrition and healthcare can have a long-term impact on their health,' it said. Another initiative is the 'Healthy Eating Responsibility for Women' (HER), which focuses on preventing obesity and anaemia among women in the reproductive age (15-49), ensuring future generations are born healthy. MOH has also appointed lead coaches from among PTA members under its 'Your Best Lifestyle' (C-HAT) programme to promote nutrition and healthy activities in schools. 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The NHMS: Adolescent Health Survey 2022, meanwhile, showed a decline in the prevalence of daily carbonated drink consumption (at least once a day), from 36.9 percent in 2017 to 32.4 percent in 2022. MOH said the current SSB tax of RM0.90 per litre should be raised to further reduce sugary drink consumption, particularly to combat childhood obesity. While current taxation focuses on beverages, MOH has not ruled out the possibility of studying and considering imposing taxes on food in the future if the food industry fails to reformulate their products to contain less sugar, salt and fat, and include more nutrients. According to WHO, health taxes are levied on products that have a negative public health impact, for example, tobacco, alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). These taxes are considered 'win-win-win' policies because they save lives and prevent disease while advancing health equity and mobilising revenue for the general budget. The aim of health tax policy is to reduce the consumption of products deemed risk factors for noncommunicable diseases by making them less affordable through higher prices. This is achieved with regular tax increases large enough to result in real price increases greater than economic growth. Excise taxes are the most effective tax measures for promoting health because they change the prices of harmful products relative to other goods and can be easily increased over time. ADVERTISING GUIDELINES In October 2024, Health Parliamentary Select Committee chairman Suhaizan Kaiat announced the drafting of a Malaysian Nutrition Act to regulate food nutrition, especially among children. On May 24, Bernama reported that MOH is drafting a Nutrition Bill following Cabinet approval of its proposal on the matter. However, the Bill would not be tabled in Parliament this year. On the issue of fast food advertisements targeting children, MOH said the 'Guidelines for Advertising and Labelling Nutritional Information for Fast Food', introduced in 2008, should serve as a guide to fast food companies, advertising agencies and broadcasters. "The guidelines prohibit fast food advertisements during children's TV programmes and prevent sponsorship of such programmes by fast food companies. These rules are aimed at raising public awareness and shifting behaviour toward healthier dietary habits. "MOH is also considering making it mandatory to restrict the advertisement of food and beverages high in fat, salt and sugar on all local and international media platforms, including digital media,' the ministry said. In terms of treatments for obesity, MOH said it has improved clinical obesity management by providing pharmacotherapy and non-pharmacotherapy options, supported by early detection, multidisciplinary interventions and digital tools. "On the whole, MOH adopts a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach in addressing obesity,' it added. Ultimately, the fight against childhood obesity is not solely the responsibility of the government, local authorities, parents, schools, teachers or healthcare professionals. It is a collective responsibility, with industry players, in particular, playing an important role in fostering an environment that promotes the health and well-being of the next generation. According to WHO, NCD management interventions are essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target on NCDs The final instalment of this four-part series concludes with a call to action that the future of our children must not be clouded by obesity statistics. Now is the time for all parties to take greater, more serious, and more effective action to tackle childhood obesity in Malaysia. - BERNAMA
