- 8 months ago
How can young people lead the charge in breaking mental health stigma? Govt Unity Ambassador and National Language Icon Lim San Shien shares how youth voices can shape a more inclusive and compassionate regional approach.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Hello and you're watching It's About Youth with me, Fei Kuan.
00:11Now, mental health has become a bigger part of public conversation,
00:15especially among Malaysia's younger generation.
00:18But stigma and societal pressure and cultural pressure as well
00:22still hold many back from speaking up.
00:25But across ASEAN, youth are stepping up to change that
00:29and joining me today on the show, all the way from Johor,
00:33is someone who's part of that effort.
00:35He is Lim Sanxian, a Government Unity Ambassador
00:37and recently named a National Malay Language Icon by Dewan Bahasa and Pustaka.
00:43Sanxian, thank you for joining me on the show today.
00:46Thank you so much, Fei and Estrawani for the invitation.
00:48Let's talk about the Stopping Mom.
00:50Definitely. I mean, it's a pleasure to have you on.
00:53But firstly, let's start a little bit about you.
00:55So we were talking prior to this interview
00:57and you mentioned that you had attended the ASEAN Roundtable discussion
01:01on regional mental health in Sabah.
01:04So firstly, what really sparked your passion for mental health advocacy?
01:09Okay, first of all, what sparks my interest in mental health is about,
01:15you know, this issue is actually not just affecting certain age of people,
01:19but actually when you have to intervene at a very early age.
01:23For example, since teenagers and also since their students.
01:28Because this issue is happening very early, as we can see now.
01:32Because like teenagers, they are comparing among themselves in terms of assets,
01:36in terms of what is the brand of their telephone they are using,
01:39what is their car they are driving.
01:41And they are fighting, you know, against them.
01:43They are competing against them to be the best version of themselves.
01:47This is good, healthy competition.
01:48But at the same time, it is also encouraging a form of, you know,
01:52competition that, you know, that might give pressure to them,
01:56that they should not deserve to get it, the pressure, since the early age.
02:00Second, because I think that youth is the future asset of the nation.
02:03So in order to become good leaders for the future,
02:06we have to make sure they have a healthy well-being,
02:08in terms of mentally and physically healthy,
02:11to prepare themselves for the future.
02:13So this is why I think the youth have to speak up, express briefly and confidently
02:19to ensure that this topic is addressed at the highest level
02:22and also at the grassroots level.
02:24So we have a bottom-up approach.
02:26We give suggestion to the policymaker, government,
02:28and engage with everyone to have a whole-of-society approach.
02:32So to ensure that the views are comprehensive,
02:35and we are able to exchange our views in order to tackle this issue collectively.
02:40Right, healthy competition.
02:42But then there is that very fine line with unhealthy comparison, right?
02:46Especially with social media, really boosting since the pandemic.
02:52And the pandemic itself, COVID-19,
02:54has really opened up more conversations around mental well-being,
02:58what with us being in lockdown and all of that.
03:01What would you say are some sort of major shifts in mental health awareness
03:05that you've observed in Malaysia or perhaps across ASEAN in the last few years?
03:10Okay, what we can observe is that there's a wrong notion that the stigma are still there
03:16that people think that mental health is a illness and is something that we should not talk about.
03:21This is what the prejudice that the people casted among those who have those pressure,
03:26facing anxiety, mental disorder, and etc.
03:30But actually, mental health issue is a very important topic to talk about openly.
03:36It's like any other topic.
03:37For example, when you get sick, when you get cold, etc.
03:40So these are also normal life diseases that we face.
03:43And we are not afraid to go to seek consultation from doctors, etc.
03:47But when someone is suffering from mental health, they feel shy, ashamed,
03:52or they feel embarrassed because of the disease or because of the illness.
03:56But we have to know that mental health is just a normal part of our life.
04:00And we should embrace it by identifying the root causes
04:04and also try to seek help, maybe support from a family, some friend.
04:08So this is very important.
04:09As we can see in the Mental Health Index of Malaysia,
04:12it stated that a social group is one of the main domains of the Malaysia Health Index,
04:18which is social support from the family, from the society, from friends,
04:22and also from all the class of the society.
04:25So this is what we are hoping to correct the notion and to shape the narrative
04:30in which we need to talk openly, have an open intellectual discourse
04:33to ensure that more discussion taking place.
04:36And, you know, we have the feelings of empathy in which we care for others,
04:41understand each other, we help each other,
04:43and we empower and uplift youth as a whole.
04:46And second is to ensure that we have inclusivity in which no one is left behind.
04:51Everyone is, you know, get what they want.
04:54For example, they want to seek a job, they got it,
04:57they get the advice they needed, and they get the support they needed.
05:01So this is what we need to do.
05:03And third is more to self-advocacy in which that we give a platform for the youth to express.
05:08For example, we have like Parliament Berlian,
05:10we have a National Youth Contestative Council,
05:13we have a lot of platform, for example, like Youth Society,
05:17National Youth Day, Hari Berlian Together, Youth Parliament, etc.
05:21So these are the platforms that we need to provide for the youth,
05:23for them to voice up and also for them to participate.
05:26So they have their, you know,
05:28they have something they can involve and engage in,
05:31so they don't feel like no need, they have peers who are like-minded, etc.
05:36So this is what we want to empower them from platform,
05:39from programs and also from the supportive member of society.
05:44I would like to delve a little bit more into the role you've played in addressing mental health.
05:50But firstly, going back a little bit earlier to your answer,
05:53you did speak about the importance of having a strong support system.
05:57And that's really something that on, you know, we've mentioned,
06:00we've talked about mental health a lot of times on this show here.
06:04And one part of it that's always constantly brought up is the need to have open discussions.
06:09And yet there is this constant stigma, the big barrier.
06:12And you've mentioned yourself how there seems to still be this view that, you know,
06:16having mental issues with mental health is seen as an illness or a weakness.
06:21What, in your opinion, are some of the biggest stigmas of mental health that still persists,
06:28especially in Malaysia?
06:30I think what is the mental health stigma that still persists in Malaysia?
06:34The first would be the wrong notion of masculinity,
06:38in which they think that men should not be crying, men should not be seeking help.
06:42This is what they think.
06:43Because men are supposed to be strong, etc.
06:45So this is the notion that we need to correct because everyone is the same.
06:49Gender equality and also under the SDG, Sustainable Development Goals,
06:53Goal 3, there's a target, Target 3.4, which is to ensure mental and health well-being.
06:59So this is actually an international issue.
07:01So this is why we have international discourse by ASEAN Rautable Discussion.
07:06Second notion is that we feel like those people who have mental health is,
07:10they are weak, they are very, you know, they are not able to support themselves mentally.
07:16They feel like easily they will be criticised,
07:20then they feel like they are being a sidelight in the society.
07:24So this is what I feel like the stigma.
07:26They feel like those people who are suffering from mental health are weak,
07:28but they are not weak.
07:30They are just like normal human beings who have feelings, who have emotions.
07:33And we have to understand the transition of a teenager
07:36to becoming adulthood is actually a critical development stage.
07:40Because they are, you know, they are characterised by emotional, physical,
07:45and also psychological changes.
07:47And we've all been through it.
07:49Yes, when you are teenagers, you don't have those pressure, right?
07:51Financial pressure, societal pressure, you don't have to pay your commitments, etc.
07:55And you don't have to pay your insurance card.
07:57So these are all the commitments that we don't have when we are still teenagers.
08:00So the transition phase will make you feel like pressure,
08:04you feel like comparing yourself.
08:05So these are all the stigma that we should put aside
08:09and we should acknowledge the problem,
08:11which is mental health is normal.
08:12We should normalise it and try to tackle it.
08:15Definitely normalising conversations,
08:18talking about it more often.
08:20I'm curious though, from your experience
08:22at the ASEAN Roundtable in Sabah,
08:25did you come across any maybe cultural or generational differences
08:30in terms of how mental health is perceived
08:32across different Southeast Asian countries in the block?
08:36Okay, that's a very interesting question
08:38because from the Indonesian perspective, I can share.
08:41That's actually a very famous, well-known organisation,
08:44not as Menjadi Manusia.
08:46So this organisation garner about 1.2 million followers on social media.
08:50So what they're doing is actually to becoming a human.
08:53You know, just what our country currently is facing,
08:57which is we are humanising our people,
08:59which is like the moral values backed by, you know,
09:02understanding, comparing, helping each other,
09:06and also the values of integrity,
09:09good values that we should have as a human.
09:12So this is what I see as the most important values
09:15that can shape a human to support towards each other,
09:18which is first is of values, second is of awareness.
09:21We understand about this issue and we don't criticise others
09:24because everyone is fighting their own battle,
09:26so we don't judge each other.
09:28So this is what the culture that we see.
09:31But from other country perspective,
09:32I see they are more open to talk about this
09:35and have a lot of association and NGO,
09:38which is advocating for this issue.
09:40And I wish to champion the cause of fighting for mental health
09:44with our youth because I think this issue is cross-border
09:47and also it needs a whole-of-society approach, as I said.
09:51So I think that we need to have more education in terms of our syllabus.
09:55We need to incorporate and encompass us
09:58what is needed to teach our youth to be more healthy
10:02in terms of mentally and physically.
10:04Second is more in terms of programmes.
10:06Third is in terms of transitioning our youth
10:08because we know that the youth age also has been reduced
10:11from 40 to 30 now.
10:13So youth will be 30 years old next year.
10:16So all this preparation actually is to prepare
10:19and also make sure that the youth are well-equipped for the future
10:22so they don't feel like a gap
10:24or they don't feel like they are losing behind.
10:26So this is what I think we need to work together as ASEAN youth.
10:30Yeah.
10:31And the steps you've mentioned,
10:32so teaching them how to care for their mental health,
10:35helping them prepare to transition towards adulthood,
10:38those are all good steps.
10:40But what about encouraging youth to seek help in the first place
10:45for those who are facing mental health issues?
10:48What can we do to kind of encourage them to step forward
10:53or rather how much of that still ties in
10:56with that stigma in family or societal expectations?
11:01Okay, first of all, Faye,
11:02I think what can encourage the people to seek help
11:05is human connection, the human touch.
11:06Because as we know, we have AI,
11:09we have a lot of technology, chat GPT,
11:11and sometimes people feel lonely,
11:13they will chat with their friend, etc.
11:15But what is lacking is the human touch
11:17or the connection between the human, the social interaction.
11:21So this is what we have to encourage
11:22between our Gen Z, our teenagers,
11:24to encourage them to talk to their friend,
11:26to engage actively with the community.
11:28So this is what we need to do.
11:30Second, Faye, let me share with you,
11:32as we are now living in the Barney world.
11:34What is Barney is B-A-N-I,
11:36breeder, anxious, non-nearly, and incomprehensible.
11:40So this is in comparison to the VUCA world,
11:43V-U-C-A, volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity.
11:48So the world now is more challenging
11:49in terms of the Barney world,
11:51which is that the youth feel like,
11:53you know, easily disconnected with the world.
11:55You know, this is a fast-paced world.
11:57Their attention span is getting,
11:59you know, reducing.
12:01So what we have to do is promoting
12:02a good, healthy usage of the social media
12:05through online platform.
12:07For example, by regulating
12:08the online media social platform,
12:10making sure that more advocacy campaign
12:12will be visible and promoted to the youth
12:15via online.
12:17And the youth are supported
12:18through all these platforms.
12:20And they feel empowered
12:21by joining all these meaningful programs
12:23in collaboration among agencies
12:25and also youth association.
12:26And third is via, you know,
12:29like education and campaigns,
12:30which can be organized by government
12:32or non-government organization,
12:34which is to ensure that
12:35they can express themselves,
12:36they feel supported.
12:37And there's a therapy,
12:39for example, music therapy,
12:41and maybe through, you know,
12:42art performance,
12:43all this to support them.
12:45And third is to make sure
12:47that youth have a balanced life,
12:49which is have to be encouraged
12:50by their parents,
12:51the society, and the family.
12:52Because, you know,
12:53all works and no play
12:54make Jack a dull boy.
12:56So we have to make sure
12:57that youth, you know,
12:58can be developed holistically
13:00in terms of academic,
13:02their involvement
13:03in co-curricular activities.
13:05So these are what we're trying to,
13:07you know, give more attention to.
13:10Finding that balance
13:11is really what leads
13:12to a fulfilling life.
13:13Definitely lots for us
13:15to unpack, Sanxian,
13:16but let's go for a quick break first.
13:18Stay with us.
13:26Welcome back to It's About Youth,
13:36where today we are speaking
13:37about youth mental health
13:38across ASEAN
13:39together with Lim Sanxian.
13:41Now, Sanxian,
13:42earlier we did talk a little bit
13:44about the importance
13:45young people play
13:47when it comes to addressing
13:49mental health
13:50and advocating
13:51for mental health rights.
13:53What is it about youth
13:55that you would say,
13:57what sort of unique strengths
13:59do youth bring to the table
14:01when it comes to addressing
14:02things such as mental health?
14:04Okay, what are the unique things
14:06that the youth can display
14:07is actually our fresh
14:08and innovative idea.
14:10Because we know that
14:10sometimes the older generation,
14:13they are maybe tied by their,
14:14you know, norms,
14:16societal norms,
14:17their values,
14:18hostile by their generation
14:19and et cetera.
14:20And some people,
14:21because they are,
14:22they cannot speak too much
14:23because they are already working
14:25with,
14:26attached with a company.
14:27So they have to follow
14:28certain rules and regulations.
14:30But what I see in youth
14:31is that we are still free.
14:33We are still young.
14:34You know, we can speak up freely,
14:35but of course,
14:36by following the rules
14:37and the laws of the nation.
14:39So what I mean,
14:40speak up freely is like
14:41we're using the right platform,
14:42media social, whatever.
14:43Just speak on certain issues
14:44and we can speak briefly
14:46and confidently to talk about,
14:48dissect what is the issue happening
14:49and we give suggestion
14:50to the government
14:51and we give constructive idea
14:53based on the facts,
14:54data, policy.
14:55It's not based on sentiments
14:56or we're trying to play
14:58like a racial issue,
15:00you know,
15:00like we're trying to
15:01criticizing others
15:02based on their body
15:03ad hominem.
15:04It's not.
15:04We are criticized,
15:05we are giving constructive idea
15:07based on what is happening.
15:08Second,
15:09what I think the youth
15:10can bring to the table
15:10is because of their experience.
15:13Because youth,
15:14you know,
15:14they are still young
15:16so they have a lot of things
15:17they want to express.
15:18They have good hopes
15:20and aspirations for the nation.
15:22They are still not influenced
15:23by the society.
15:24They don't feel much pressure.
15:26So what they hope
15:26is a good nation for all.
15:28So this is what we want to see
15:29in our future youth.
15:31They are having,
15:32you know,
15:33good hopes for the nation.
15:34And third,
15:35what the youth have
15:36is actually their knowledge.
15:37Because, you know,
15:38most of the people,
15:39the youth now,
15:40is actually highly educated.
15:42So they have something
15:44to bring to the table
15:45to discuss with the policymaker
15:47in terms of policy,
15:48in terms of their exposure
15:49they gain during the programs.
15:51So this is what I think
15:52the youth have.
15:53So what they need
15:55is actually a platform
15:57and someone they can talk about.
15:58So this is what I think
15:59the youth have
16:00and they should continue to do it.
16:02I think Gen Z definitely
16:04offer a fresh perspective
16:06and have a lot of potential
16:09in addressing this ongoing issue
16:12that has plagued our country
16:13for years.
16:15I'm curious,
16:15have you seen any particular examples
16:18of youth-led initiatives
16:19of movements within ASEAN
16:21or even in Malaysia
16:22that you think would really work
16:24and that is something
16:25that we can expand
16:25and push for?
16:28Yes, definitely.
16:29As you can see,
16:30there are a lot of youth associations
16:32even like Majis Belia
16:34even in the state
16:35or the youth council
16:36in the state or national level
16:38and a lot of United Nations NGO,
16:41UNICEF,
16:41they are actually working hard
16:42to address the issue
16:44and also,
16:45actually we're trying to put
16:46an end to this
16:49what is happening
16:49because we don't want to talk
16:50about this all the time.
16:52Instead,
16:52we're going to find a solution,
16:53a concrete solution,
16:54a parametric solution
16:55that can resolve this issue.
16:57But of course,
16:58the effort to tackle mental health
17:00is never a destination
17:01but it's a journey.
17:03As we take a look,
17:04maybe to the Malaysian Youth Mental Health Index
17:06recently issued,
17:08so our index is currently
17:09at 71.91%
17:11which is actually moderately satisfactory.
17:14So it's just moderate,
17:15it's not even satisfactory.
17:17So what is happening
17:18is actually a lot of issues
17:19like societal pressure,
17:21commitments,
17:22comparison.
17:23So how to address this issue
17:25is based on the methods
17:27that we can take
17:27but it's not
17:28old school methods
17:30or dinosaur era methods.
17:32We need a modern solution
17:33to tackle modern issues.
17:35So this is what
17:36we have to see
17:37how we can work together
17:39as a whole society
17:40and everyone have a role to play
17:42as per the United Nations.
17:44They have a framework.
17:45First agenda is that
17:47everyone have a role,
17:48have a function to play
17:49in the society.
17:50So this is what
17:51we have to make people
17:52to aware that
17:52the school,
17:54the institution,
17:54government,
17:56media,
17:57even teenagers,
17:58youth group,
17:59all have a function
18:00and they have a responsibility
18:02to make sure
18:03to educate
18:03and to raise the awareness
18:05of youth on mental health.
18:07So this is what
18:08we hope to see
18:09everyone get to play their role
18:11and understand
18:11what they should do.
18:14Now there's two points
18:15you mentioned
18:16being part of that solution
18:17I wanted to
18:18really talk a little bit more about.
18:20Firstly,
18:21you mentioned education
18:22and then also government
18:23with education
18:24having just graduated
18:26from UM yourself.
18:29Do you think
18:30personally
18:31that schools
18:31and universities
18:32are doing enough
18:33to help support youths
18:34with their mental health?
18:36And what role
18:38do you think
18:38that they can play further
18:39to promote
18:41mental health awareness?
18:41Okay,
18:43what we see now
18:44in the existing framework
18:45of school and university,
18:46they only have
18:47like a counselling unit,
18:48right?
18:48So whenever
18:49help is needed,
18:50so they will attend
18:51to the students.
18:52So what I think
18:53that we should form
18:54is like a mentor-mentee
18:56program
18:56in all the schools
18:57and universities.
18:58The mentor
18:59would be someone
18:59like a senior alumni
19:01or maybe the professor
19:02or a teacher.
19:04So whenever
19:04help is needed,
19:06they will be the one
19:07who approach the student,
19:08not when the problem
19:09is happening
19:10and the student
19:11has to go
19:11to the counselling unit.
19:13But some students
19:13are shy,
19:14they are introvert,
19:15they don't want
19:15to seek help.
19:16So this is something
19:17that we have to take
19:18proactive measure
19:19to tackle the issue.
19:21So instead of waiting,
19:22wait and see,
19:23why not we help
19:23and uplift them?
19:25So this is what
19:26I suggest,
19:26to have a mentor-mentee
19:27program in all the schools
19:28and universities.
19:30And second is that
19:31we have to constantly
19:32give care and attention
19:34to the student.
19:35This is maybe
19:36can be done
19:36by the school,
19:38by the university,
19:39and third is
19:40through program.
19:41Because some university
19:42and school,
19:43they don't make it
19:44like an interesting
19:45program for the student
19:46to see and to participate
19:48and even to join.
19:50So this is what
19:50I think that
19:51they should give
19:52more freedom
19:52and capacity
19:53building for the student.
19:55Because students,
19:56sometimes they are
19:57limited to join
19:57one uniform body
19:59and one maybe sports.
20:01So why not
20:02we just give them
20:03the freedom
20:04to choose
20:04whatever sports,
20:05whatever uniform body,
20:08they want to join.
20:09They want to form
20:10a club,
20:11let them form.
20:12Don't restrict them.
20:13Don't say,
20:14oh, it's repetitive,
20:15it's redundant,
20:16it's a conflict
20:17with the interests
20:17of the university.
20:18As long as it's good
20:19for the student,
20:20mental health,
20:21well-being,
20:22and human development,
20:23I suppose.
20:24So we should encourage
20:25as long as it's
20:26following the laws
20:27and rules.
20:28So I think this is
20:29what we have to do
20:30to encourage students
20:30to take part
20:31and to be at the forefront.
20:33I don't want the youth
20:34to be addressed
20:34as the future leaders.
20:36We are the leaders
20:37of today
20:37because we should be
20:39at the forefront
20:39to advocate,
20:40to push for betterment,
20:41to advocate for betterment,
20:43advancement in our society
20:44by raising those
20:46critical issues
20:47and giving constructive ideas.
20:49So this is what
20:49the youth should be
20:50more aggressively
20:51pushing
20:52and become the,
20:53you know,
20:54advocate
20:54and also become
20:55an activist
20:56for the championing
20:58good cause.
20:59This is what we have to see
20:59in the youth
21:00of today.
21:01Great.
21:01There's some interesting
21:02suggestions that you had
21:03that schools can take.
21:07Especially the first point
21:08you made about
21:09having a mentor-mentee program.
21:11We did talk a little bit
21:12about how we can encourage
21:13more people to step forward
21:14but you've also said
21:16that, you know,
21:16some students may be shy
21:18to come forward
21:18with their issues
21:19and hence
21:19having a mentor
21:21would be,
21:22having a mentor
21:23is someone
21:24who would be able
21:24to interject
21:25and address that
21:26early on.
21:28I'm curious then
21:29how would we
21:30convince people
21:31to take on
21:32that mentor role
21:33then?
21:33What is
21:35an important message
21:36to send to
21:37let everyone know
21:38that they have
21:39an important role
21:40to play?
21:41Okay, as you can see
21:42Faye, normally
21:43when school have
21:43like a dinner,
21:44fundraising dinner,
21:45we can see a lot
21:46of alumni
21:47or maybe the ex-student,
21:48former student,
21:49they are willing
21:49to step up,
21:50they are willing
21:51to sponsor,
21:51they are willing
21:52to support
21:52the school events
21:54like, you know,
21:55bazaar, whatever.
21:56So I think,
21:57you know,
21:57like instead of
21:58inviting an alumni
22:00to the school
22:01or university
22:01to give a one-off talk
22:03maybe during the
22:04orientation
22:04just for one time.
22:06So why not?
22:07We have a continuous
22:08support for the
22:09student, you know,
22:10continue consistent
22:11efforts that we
22:13can see in the
22:14alumni.
22:14Maybe the alumni,
22:15the ex-student
22:16or even the
22:16teachers themselves,
22:17you know,
22:18they can become a mentor.
22:18So I think the
22:19teachers will be
22:20more than willing
22:20or even the alumni.
22:22Maybe the one
22:23alumni can cater
22:24to 10 to 20
22:25mentees
22:26which are the
22:27students.
22:27So they can just
22:28help each other
22:29discussing ideas
22:30and see how
22:32they can help
22:32them for their
22:33further study,
22:34tertiary study.
22:35So they're more
22:35to giving like
22:36advisory group,
22:37you know,
22:37advising,
22:38giving tips
22:39for studies,
22:40exams.
22:41So it's more
22:42to like a
22:42support group.
22:43What we need
22:43is a support group
22:44and whoever
22:45is interested,
22:46they should
22:46stand up and
22:47help.
22:48So this is what
22:48I think,
22:49how should we
22:50give a message
22:51is like,
22:51you have to
22:52give back to
22:52your school,
22:53give back to
22:53the society
22:54because you
22:55are benefited
22:55from the
22:56school and
22:56society.
22:57you will
22:58want a
22:59student.
22:59So you
23:00should give
23:00back and
23:01you should
23:01contribute your
23:01ideas,
23:02your efforts
23:03to build a
23:04better environment
23:04and a more
23:05conducive study
23:07environment for
23:08your university
23:08and institution.
23:10So this is
23:10what we call,
23:11we should,
23:12you know,
23:12always give
23:13back to the
23:13society.
23:14And also for
23:14the corporate,
23:15they are more
23:15to CSR,
23:16corporate social
23:17responsibility,
23:18so they should
23:18do more,
23:19maybe by
23:20donating.
23:21If you can't
23:21donate,
23:22so why don't
23:22you help by
23:23giving your
23:23efforts and
23:24spending time
23:26with the
23:26students.
23:28Thank you for
23:29helping to
23:29spread that
23:30message of
23:30promoting
23:31selflessness
23:32and wanting
23:33to help and
23:34contribute back
23:34to society.
23:36You've also
23:37mentioned earlier
23:37about empowering
23:38the youth
23:39voice or
23:40within ASEAN
23:41itself.
23:42What concrete
23:43steps then do
23:44you think,
23:44moving on to
23:45government now,
23:45what concrete
23:46steps do you
23:46think government
23:47or maybe other
23:48related institutions
23:49can take to
23:50help young
23:51people speak up
23:52and shape
23:52mental youth
23:53policy?
23:53and giving
23:54them that
23:55seat at the
23:55table to
23:56discuss?
23:57Okay,
23:58so if you
23:58take a look
23:59at the
23:59mental health
24:00index that
24:01is an issue,
24:02there's actually
24:02a few domains,
24:03for example,
24:04lifestyle,
24:04surrounding
24:04environment,
24:05personal
24:05characteristics,
24:06life experience,
24:07social support,
24:08coping mechanism,
24:09healthy mind.
24:10So these are
24:11all the domains
24:11that we should
24:12focus on if
24:13we want to
24:13tackle mental
24:14health.
24:15For example,
24:15we look at
24:16the national
24:16youth policy.
24:18So in
24:18national youth
24:19policy,
24:19what are the
24:20challenges
24:21actually from
24:22social,
24:23economy,
24:24politics,
24:25and also
24:25technology.
24:26So in order
24:27to tackle
24:27this issue,
24:28we go down
24:28to what are
24:29the characteristics
24:30that the
24:30government want
24:31to build in
24:31our future
24:32younger generation.
24:33For example,
24:34in the national
24:34youth policy,
24:35it's mentioned
24:35about optimistic,
24:37being,
24:37you know,
24:39tax-savvy,
24:40obviously.
24:40So what we can
24:41see now is
24:41through PLKF,
24:43the Latihan
24:43Himat Negara
24:44National Service.
24:45So I see that
24:45this is a good
24:46platform to buy
24:48all our youth
24:48and young
24:49leaders to
24:50come together
24:50to contribute
24:52their energy
24:52and also
24:53sacrifice their
24:54time to
24:55make time
24:56for the
24:57nation because
24:57they are well
24:58trained to
24:58prepare for
24:59the national
25:00defence and
25:01also to
25:01build the
25:01spirits of
25:02patriotism and
25:03togetherness
25:04among them.
25:05Second,
25:05more to,
25:07for example,
25:07life experience.
25:08So government
25:09should give
25:09the youth to
25:10handle programmes
25:11and also to
25:12lead the
25:12society,
25:13which we can
25:13see next
25:14year.
25:14because now
25:15the definition
25:16of youth is
25:17still 15
25:17until 40
25:18years old.
25:19Starting next
25:19year,
25:20it's 15
25:20until 30.
25:22So we can
25:22see that the
25:23younger trend
25:24in all the
25:25youth association
25:26NGO.
25:27So 30 and
25:28above,
25:28you can no
25:29longer lead
25:29an association
25:30of youth.
25:31So this is
25:32what we hope
25:33to empower
25:33the youth
25:33to give
25:34younger
25:34generations
25:35starting from
25:3618 until
25:3630 years old
25:37to lead
25:38an association
25:38of youth.
25:39And third
25:40is more to
25:40social support.
25:41So this is
25:42more to
25:42collaboration
25:43with the
25:43NGO,
25:44the government
25:45cannot work
25:45in silo.
25:46This is
25:46wrong.
25:47The government
25:47should work
25:48with NGO,
25:49consult with
25:49any stakeholders
25:51to seek a
25:52good pragmatic
25:53solution to
25:54tackle mental
25:55health.
25:55So this is
25:56what we want
25:56to build a
25:57healthy mind
25:57as per the
25:58mental health
25:59index.
26:00And last
26:00is more to
26:01lifestyle.
26:02Because as
26:02we can see,
26:03I'm so
26:04concerned about
26:05this issue.
26:06As we know
26:06in university
26:07there's a lot
26:07of issues
26:08happening.
26:09You know,
26:09like last
26:10time there's
26:10like,
26:11you know,
26:12like sugar
26:13baby,
26:14there's like,
26:15you know,
26:16a lot of
26:16things maybe
26:17concerning their
26:18lifestyle.
26:18You know,
26:18they are
26:19taking drugs,
26:19they are
26:20smoking,
26:20they are
26:21doing unhealthy
26:21habits that
26:23could lead
26:23to, you
26:24know,
26:24very serious
26:25mental disorder
26:26or issue.
26:26so this is
26:28what we have
26:28to correct
26:29them in
26:30terms of
26:30lifestyle.
26:30But it's
26:31not like
26:31we reprimand
26:32them.
26:33What we need
26:33to do is
26:34to encourage
26:34them to
26:35follow a
26:35healthy
26:35lifestyle.
26:36Backed by
26:37moral,
26:38religion,
26:39and good
26:39values.
26:40And also,
26:40of course,
26:41through exposure
26:42with the
26:43correct values
26:44of the world.
26:45So they are
26:45not exposed
26:46to a
26:46different set
26:47of values
26:47or,
26:48you know,
26:49wrong terms
26:50of belief
26:51that they think
26:52is what
26:53they belong
26:54to.
26:54So this
26:55is what
26:55I call
26:55Circle of
26:56Friends.
26:56And also,
26:57in terms of
26:57the exposure,
26:58the environment
26:59of the
26:59university
27:00or the
27:00institution
27:01they belong
27:01to.
27:03Right.
27:03Very quickly
27:04then,
27:04before we
27:05wrap up,
27:06Sanxian,
27:06what would
27:07a mentally
27:08healthy
27:09and stigma
27:10free
27:10Malaysia
27:11look like
27:11to you
27:12in the
27:12future?
27:14Okay,
27:14as we can
27:14see in
27:15the United
27:16Nations
27:16report,
27:17the term
27:18of mental
27:19health is
27:19actually used
27:20interchangeably
27:21with mental
27:22well-being,
27:22which is to
27:23ability to
27:24manage or
27:24deal with
27:25normal life
27:25stress.
27:26So what
27:26we want
27:27to see
27:27in our
27:28youth is
27:28that they
27:29live their
27:29life happily
27:30and they
27:31live their
27:31life to
27:32the fullest
27:33every day
27:33by making
27:34use of
27:34their time
27:35platform
27:35and energy
27:36to contribute
27:37to the
27:37society
27:38and to
27:38reach
27:39whatever
27:40dream,
27:40to realise
27:41whatever
27:41dream they
27:42aspire to
27:43be.
27:43So just
27:44be yourself
27:44and be
27:45the true
27:45version of
27:46yourself.
27:47And at
27:47the end
27:47of the day,
27:48just enjoy
27:48every day
27:49and also
27:49do your
27:51best to
27:51the nation
27:51because don't
27:52ask what
27:53the nation
27:53can do
27:54for you
27:54but ask
27:55what you
27:55can do
27:55for the
27:55nation.
27:56So this
27:57is what
27:57I hope
27:57to see
27:58in the
27:58youth.
27:58They're
27:58just
27:59mentally
27:59and
27:59physically
28:00healthy
28:01and also
28:02presentable
28:03and ready
28:04to face
28:04whatever
28:05challenges
28:05and take
28:06on the
28:06world.
28:07That's all.
28:07Thank you
28:08so much
28:09for sharing
28:09your insights
28:10and your
28:10thoughts
28:10with me
28:11today.
28:11I've
28:11been
28:11speaking
28:12to
28:12Lim Sanxian,
28:13Government
28:14Unity
28:14Ambassador
28:15and
28:15National
28:16Language
28:16Icon.
28:17This
28:17has been
28:18It's
28:18About Youth
28:19with me,
28:19Fei Kuan.
28:20Thank you
28:20for
28:20watching
28:21and see
28:21you
28:21next
28:21time.
Comments