By Nancy Nais and Karen Bong
KUCHING, Nov 2: Sarawak needs a head of counselling and a leader in the field of psychology to oversee and ensure a high level of standard of practice and adherence towards professional ethics.
Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the counselling and psychology services have to be governed professionally so that the people of Sarawak are given the highest quality of service.
“These efforts for the promotion and advancement of psychological and counselling services is a continuous process to ensure the mental health and wellbeing of the people can be improved, strengthened and sustained.
“This is in line with the concept of ‘Sustainable Happiness’ as envisioned in the SDG (Sustainable Development Goal of the United Nations),” he said when officiating at the International Counselling Convention (ICC) 2022 Gala Dinner at a hotel here tonight.
Abang Johari noted that Malaysia is the only country in the region that has established an Act to govern the professional practices in counselling.
The Counselling Act 580 (1998) was the outcome of Counselling Association Malaysia’s (Perkama) advocacy to draft an act that will protect the practising counsellors and the profession as well as to provide public trust on the integrity of the profession.
“Today in Malaysia, all counsellors who are providing counselling services must be registered counsellor or equivalent to a status of Licensed Counseling Practitioners issued by the regulatory body of Malaysian Board of Counselling,” he added.
Recognising the importance of wellbeing for Sarawak including the civil service, Abang Johari said the Sarawak Civil Service-Communities of Practice (SCS-CoP) was established to elevate psychology and counselling services in Sarawak that pools together practitioners from various institutions and agencies in the State.
“The past two years have affected all of us in one way or another and the never-ending change has altered the psychosocial environment around the world and it shows that there is an urgent need to actively mobilise initiatives for the improvement and sustainability of the wellbeing of our communities,” he said.
He also noted that Malaysia, through the Ministry of Health, has launched the National Centre of Excellence for Mental Health and a new 15555 helpline, better known as HEAL, to offer online psychological support for the people.
This helpline, he added, complements the existing Talian Kasih 15999 under the Ministry of Women and Family Development.
Themed “Standing Along Together, Managing the Paradox”, the ICC 2022 dinner also witnessed the launching of Sarawak Civil Service Value Index and Sarawak Civil Service Employee Wellbeing Index as the government’s efforts to ensure a thriving ecosystem in the public sector.
Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, Deputy State Secretary Datu Dr Sabariah Putit, International Association for Counselling president Prof Dr William Borgen, Perkama president Dato Dr Abdul Halim Hussin andUniversiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohamad Kadim Suaidi were among those present. — DayakDaily
