KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is taking steps to increase the number of psychology officers in order to better support its civil servants with mental and emotional challenges.
State secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong said the latest data revealed that the 198 state government employees undergoing mental health screenings have faced issues such as depression, anxiety, and stress.
He explained that the screenings were a proactive approach to assess the mental health status of civil servants at the State Public Services Department (JPAN).
"Based on the data collected, the state government hopes to identify the mental health levels among its staff so that suitable and effective interventions can be provided to those in need of specific help," said Safar in his speech read by State Public Services director-general Datuk Zainudin Aman at the launch of the Public Service Psychology Conference 2024 on Thursday (Dec 5).
"These statistics show a significant challenge that needs addressing through collective and strategic action," Safar added. "JPAN will continue to implement high-impact programmes to produce more subject matter experts among civil servants."
Safar also noted that the conference underscored the importance of psychological well-being in human resource management.
Psychology, he said, is closely tied to the roles and responsibilities of Human Resource Management Officers (PSM).
"For example, the success of the Certified Human Resource Officer programme organised by JPAN is an important step in preparing professional PSMs to face the challenges of the dynamic workforce.
"Additionally, the Psychological and Counseling Services Portal developed by JPAN was launched as another government digitisation initiative.
"This portal is designed to ensure that public servants, no matter where they are located, including those in rural areas, can easily and comfortably access the psychological support they need online," Safar explained.
Speaking to reporters later, Zainudin said various intervention measures would be implemented, including the addition of more psychology officer positions to provide the best counseling services to public servants across Sabah.
"Addressing psychological issues is crucial, as they can have a positive or negative impact on the ability of civil servants in performing their duties.
"While the exact number of psychology officers has yet to be finalised, the increase is certain," he said.
