PUTRAJAYA plans to have a psychology wellness index as some 30% of the population aged 16 and above have mental issues, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.

Zahid said the 2015 national health and morbidity survey found that 29.2% or 4.2 million Malaysians aged 16 and above have mental illnesses, which stem from various causes, including depression, substance abuse and other neurological-related sicknesses.

The same survey also found work stress, relationships, lack of parenting knowledge, divorce and domestic violence to be among the other causes.

“Poor coping skills and lack of social support also affect the mental health status of an individual,” he said at the human capital psychology conference in Putrajaya today, in conjunction with World Mental Health Day on October 10.

Zahid invited intellectuals and specialists to help the government decide the parameters for the index.

He also said there should be continuous mental health awareness programmes, with psychology and counselling services expanded throughout the workforce.

“These should be available for all levels of society throughout the country.”

Zahid said the civil service had established the civil service peer guidance programme in 2005 to address these matters in the public service.

Among the causes of stress for civil servants were their debts and he asked the ministries to help employees address this.

In previous reports, Minister in Prime Minister Department Azalina Othman Said said civil servants were allowed to have a maximum 60% of their salary deducted for loan repayments.

On developing better and quality human capital, Zahid asked the private sector to emulate the civil service in terms of entry point pay, which includes fringe benefits and pay scheme.

“We in the civil service have more benefits. We want the wages scheme of the private sector to be on a par with the public sector. It is a big shame if they are paid lower.” – October 9, 2017.