15 hours ago
Over 700 Marsiling-Yew Tee residents walk for mental health, amid more initiatives for Malay/Muslims
Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad, Mayor Alex Yam and Ms Hany Soh flagging-off a walk during the Hijrah Walk & Health Fiesta on June 28. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Over 700 Marsiling-Yew Tee residents walk for mental health, amid more initiatives for Malay/Muslims
SINGAPORE - Residents in Marsiling-Yew Tee, those in particular from the Malay/Muslim community, can look forward to more mental health support in the coming months.
Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad said on June 28 that the M³@Marsiling-Yew Tee team has been engaging residents since the start of 2025 with mental health sharing sessions and information about dementia awareness.
More than 80 people have been engaged so far, through a partnership with An-Nur Mosque.
Speaking to The Straits Times on the sidelines at the annual Hijrah Walk and Health Fiesta event, Mr Zaqy said the initiative is in its early days, but has plans to expand.
He said he has gotten feedback, especially from the Malay/Muslim community in Marsiling-Yew Tee, that they cannot find enough support for caregivers of those with mental illnesses or dementia.
The June 28 event, held in conjunction with the Islamic New Year, was held at Choa Chu Kang Stadium and attended by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Mr Zaqy, Ms Hany Soh and Mr Alex Yam. All are MPs for the GRC.
The event was organised by the M³@Marsiling-Yew Tee team. M³ is a collaborative effort between three key Malay/Muslim institutions - the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, Mendaki and Mesra.
More than 700 residents from Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC came together to show their support for mental wellness through a mass walk.
Residents visited interactive booths and activity stations by community partners like the Singapore Cancer Society, Caregivers Alliance, and Health Promotion Board which featured information on mental health support services, wellness resources, and active lifestyle initiatives.
Said Mr Zaqy: 'It's important from a community perspective to talk about mental wellness. I think there's always been mental illness around us, but it can be seen as a taboo issue and therefore not much of it has been spoken about.'
'But I think that sharing experiences, resources, and support is one way in which we bring the community together and help bring down the barriers to discussing mental illness.'
He added that connecting those in need with help is always challenging.
'For many of them, the reason why they are not well-connected is because they're are busy firefighting at home. Taking care of those struggling with any issue is not easy, so we need to go reach out to them through neighbourhood networks.'
He said the M³@Marsiling-Yew Tee team plans to also work with youth in the rest of the year.
Among younger people, he said, mental health is less of a taboo topic, thanks to greater exposure in schools and on social media.
PM Lawrence Wong (in pink) interacting with participants after their walk during the Hijrah Walk & Health Fiesta.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
'We have to translate that and see how they can be ambassadors to do outreach to the rest of the community, and refer friends and family members who may have issues,' he added.
'I think they are more ready to speak about this, and I hope they can help bring family members who might be older onboard.'
Retiree Madam Zulaiha, 63, attended the mass walk on June 28 with her grandson.
'It is not only good exercise and fun to walk with everyone else, but it is for a good cause,' the former canteen cook said.
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