ASEAN youth mental health forum draws 135 participants in Kota Kinabalu
KOTA KINABALU: A two-day roundtable discussion on ASEAN youth mental health has gathered 135 participants from across Southeast Asia and Timor Leste.
The event, which began yesterday, focuses on regional cooperation to tackle rising mental health concerns among young people.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh highlighted the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration, citing findings from the Malaysian Youth Mental Health Index Study 2023.
The study revealed that mental health levels among Malaysian youth aged 15 to 30 remain moderate.
'For a serious issue like this, the government needs the involvement of all parties to come together and discuss.
In this case, we need the cooperation of medical experts, youth representatives and religious groups,' Yeoh said during the opening ceremony.
Shahhanim Yahya, acting CEO of the Institute for Youth Research Malaysia, noted that today's youth face unique challenges in self-identity and emotional expression.
'The scope of stress is broad, and this is why it's important for us to better understand the youth...to determine whether the cause of stress stems from within themselves or from their surrounding ecosystem,' she explained.
Under the theme 'ASEAN Youth Voice: Empowering Minds, Ensuring Well-being', the forum aims to enhance mental health literacy and improve access to care through knowledge sharing and policy discussions.
Participants include mental health professionals, policymakers, religious leaders and youth representatives from across the region.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
5 hours ago
- Malay Mail
‘Struggling with identity': Asean youth mental health forum hears rising stress levels among social media generation
KOTA KINABALU, June 29 — A total of 135 participants from Asean member states and Timor Leste attended the two-day Roundtable Discussion: Asean Youth Mental Health 2025 held here, which began yesterday. Minister of Youth and Sports Hannah Yeoh said the forum brought together participants from various backgrounds, including mental health experts, religious figures, policymakers, government officials, civil society representatives and youth. In the Malaysian context, she said the forum was crucial as findings from the Malaysian Youth Mental Health Index Study 2023 (MyMHI'23) indicated that the mental health of youths aged 15 to 30 remained at a moderate level. 'For a serious issue like this, the government needs the involvement of all parties to come together and discuss. In this case, we need the cooperation of medical experts, youth representatives and religious groups,' she said after opening the programme here today. Meanwhile, the Institute for Youth Research Malaysia (IYRES) Acting Chief Executive Officer Shahhanim Yahya said that today's youth appear to struggle with their self-identity, as they are increasingly open about expressing emotions and stress on social media. 'The scope of stress is broad, and this is why it's important for us to better understand the determine whether the cause of stress stems from within themselves or from their surrounding ecosystem,' she said. Themed 'Asean Youth Voice: Empowering Minds, Ensuring Well-being', the programme aims to address the mental health challenges of Asean youth through regional cooperation, exchange of best practices and promoting inclusive advocacy to increase mental health literacy and improve access to mental health care. — Bernama
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Urine drug testing remains standard for vocational drivers, says AOEMM
PETALING JAYA: The Academy of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Malaysia (AOEMM) states that urine drug testing remains the most practical method for drug testing. "While we fully support efforts to enhance road safety and reduce substance misuse-related incidents among vocational drivers, AOEMM believes urine drug testing is the most practical, cost-effective, and internationally accepted method for routine drug screening." AOEMM was responding to The Star article on June 28, titled 'Blood tests preferred for vocational driving licence'. "For over 15 years, AOEMM has been actively involved in training Malaysian medical and occupational safety practitioners in workplace drug testing, following established international standards — including those of the United States Department of Transportation (US DOT). "These globally recognised protocols endorse urine, and more recently oral fluid, as the primary specimens for drug testing," it said in a statement on Sunday (June 29). "Blood testing is not approved under US DOT guidelines for routine workplace screening due to its shorter detection window, higher cost, and more invasive collection process. It said urine testing allows for the detection of drug use over several days, offering a broader detection window that enhances its utility as a deterrent. "In contrast, blood testing is more suitable for post-incident or emergency testing rather than routine screening." It added that urine collection is also non-invasive and logistically straightforward. "Furthermore, it does not require trained phlebotomists, clinical centrifugation, or stringent biohazard controls, all of which would be necessary for widespread blood testing." Currently, private medical facilities offer urine drug testing for as low as RM30, while blood testing may cost up to ten times more and demands more clinical resources. "Such a shift could create inequities in access and overburden government clinics." "We stand ready to support the Transport Ministry, the Road Safety Council, and other relevant stakeholders in strengthening Malaysia's drug testing policy through evidence-based and cost-effective approaches. "Our shared goal remains clear, which is to protect public safety on the roads while ensuring fair and scientifically sound practices for Malaysian workers," it added.
New Straits Times
6 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Youth identity crisis fuels mental health problems, says Yeoh
KOTA KINABALU: Mental health problems among youths are linked to their sense of identity and future prospects, said Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh. "Policymakers need to take this data seriously," she said after launching the "Roundtable Discussion: Asean Youth Mental Health" at a resort here. Yeoh was referring to the identity issues of stateless individuals in Sabah, which she said must be addressed despite the political sensitivities. She added that her ministry is working with the National Anti-Drugs Agency to curb substance abuse among youth, who often turn to drugs to cope with mental health challenges. "When we started talking to young people, we realised that many of them turn to drugs for various reasons. But our approach is not to judge them. "We want to raise awareness and encourage them to seek help and get treatment. They cannot sit at home and try to resolve this problem alone.". Findings from the Institute for Youth Research Malaysia (IYRES) showed that indigenous communities recorded the lowest scores on the depression index, likely due to their access to stress-relieving activities or environments. She said that Sarawak had the highest happiness scores, while Sabah ranked in the top five. IYRES said one in five youths aged 15 to 30 is experiencing mental stress. Yeoh said the meeting aimed to promote youth mental health awareness among Asean states and adopt best practices, given their shared lifestyles and challenges. She said that the government alone cannot solve the mental health crisis, and collective efforts are needed from all sectors, including medical professionals and religious organisations. The initiative follows a recent Dewan Rakyat session, where suicide attempts were decriminalised. They were previously punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code. The roundtable was organised by IYRES in collaboration with the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) and the Communication for Development Centre at Universiti Putra Malaysia. Representatives from Asean states also attended the event.
