00:00Mental health advocates have urged the government to increase funding for volunteer-based services to improve suicide helplines.
00:10Organizations like the Mental Illness Awareness and Support Association and Befrienders KL provide vital frontline crisis care but face challenges due to limited budgets, reliance on volunteers, and restricted operating hours.
00:23Alia Ali, founder of Awareness Against Suicide Malaysia, warned that poorly managed helplines could harm callers citing complaints of long wait times, disengaged responses, and even solicitation for money.
00:36Separately, Befrienders KL Publicity Director Joan Chen said sustained government support is needed, adding that the organization handled 30,607 calls in 2024 but often struggled with manpower shortages.
00:50Chen stressed that funding depends heavily on donations and grants, making it difficult to maintain a large and well-trained volunteer base.
00:58Miyasa founder Anita Abubakar said most local helplines lack support after midnight since volunteers balance shifts with jobs or studies, and even Talian Gil, the Health Ministry's official helpline, only runs until 12 a.m.
01:12She suggested the government help fund paid positions, explaining that organizations already have the expertise but lack the financial resources to expand services.
01:23Makes sense.
01:24David gets it together, and John functional organization is for your dollar school nursing units.
01:27Okay
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