THE mental health of all children in Malaysia should receive the investment it deserves after being a neglected part of wellbeing, said United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).

Unicef representative in Malaysia and Special Representative to Brunei Darussalam Dr Rashed Mustafa Sarwar said it was time mental health is treated as a matter of life and death. 

“Immediate investment is needed to expand mental health services, including systematic and upgraded psychological screening and professional support for young people in schools and communities.

“Build on parenting programmes to ensure that children from vulnerable families get the support and protection they need at home. 

“It is only through a holistic, multi-pronged approach can we give children the support they need,” he said in a statement today. 

He said this in response to the high number of suicide cases involving young people from 2019 to date. 

Earlier today, Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Abd Jalil Hassan said that 872 young people in Malaysia took their lives from January 2019 up to May this year. 

Children between the ages of 15 and 18 made up 51% of the total 1,708 suicide cases recorded in that time period. 

“By age, 872 individuals were between 15 and 18 years’ old, and 688 were aged between 19 and 40,” Jalil said. 

Suicide cases almost doubled on average across all age groups in the five months in 2021 – 94 cases a month – compared with 2019 (51 cases a month). 

Rashed said the prolonged lockdown has deprived young people of the social connections that are so crucial at this time of life. 

“Children have been out of school and have missed out on learning and socialisation milestones. 

“Their parents may have lost their jobs adding to their stress. At the extreme, children may be stuck at home with an abuser.” 

He added that mental health concerns have long been a neglected part of wellbeing and this is a wake-up call to do more.

Free helplines are available for children and young people to seek help and receive emotional support. These are the Talian Kasih 15999 available 24/7, Talian BuddyBear (1800-18-2327) available daily from 12pm-12am and Befrienders (03 7627 2929) available 24/7. – July 1, 2021.