By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 25: Sarawak is formulating a new and comprehensive policy framework to tackle mental health concerns, digital addiction, and increasingly complex social challenges, in recognition that mental health is no longer just a medical issue but a wider social problem that requires cross-agency collaboration.
According to a Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas) news report, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said the move comes amid growing concern over the rising number of mental health cases linked to fast-paced lifestyles and the erosion of family communication patterns.
“Mental health is very difficult to measure. Almost everyone in the world has some form of mental health issue, but what makes the difference is how we cope with it.
“With the rapid changes of the digital era, smartphones and other devices have reduced support networks, to the extent that some families are interacting less with each other,” he said when met by reporters after officiating the Lions and Leos Mental Health & Life Saving Skills Training Project at Dewan Sa’ati, Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) headquarters here yesterday (Aug 24).
He further noted that family interaction is becoming increasingly limited, often confined to short text messages on mobile phones, reflecting the decline in meaningful face-to-face conversations within households today.
Dr Sim emphasised that mental health must be viewed beyond the healthcare lens and addressed holistically.
“Mental health is not just about medicine. Just like education, it is not only about knowledge, but also a form of economic transformation.
“Similarly, mental health is not just about health, but also about social issues and addiction,” he stressed.
He called on stakeholders to sit together and design appropriate policies and interventions, particularly in addressing online gambling, cyberbullying, and digital dependency.
“All stakeholders must sit together to discuss the kind of support to be provided, the interventions to be implemented, and the policies to be formulated. This must be carried out across multiple agencies,” he added.
Dr Sim also underlined the importance of awareness and psychological support in managing mental health issues, noting that every individual must find their own way of coping with stress as there is no single solution that fits all.
The initiative is expected to be discussed soon with Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and the State leadership as an initial step towards establishing a more holistic and integrated mental health policy. — DayakDaily
