KOTA KINABALU: There is a need to increase the number of psychology officers in Sabah to ensure civil servants in the state can get support for mental and emotional challenges, says State Secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong.
He said the latest data showed that 198 state government staffers undergoing mental health screenings had issues related to depression, anxiety and pressure.
He said the screening was a proactive initiative to gauge the full picture of mental health among public servants at the State Public Services Department (JPAN) level.
“Through the data collected, the state government hopes to identify the mental health level among the staff so suitable and effective intervention can be provided to those who need specific help,” he said when launching the Public Service Psychology Conference 2024 on Thursday.
“These statistics reflect a big challenge that needs to be addressed through collective and strategic action.
“JPAN will continue to run high-impact intensity programmes to produce more subject matter experts among civil servants,” Safar added.
His speech was read by State Public Services director-general Datuk Zainudin Aman.
According to Safar, the conference not only emphasised psychological well-being but also highlighted its vital role in human resource management, as psychology is closely related to the duties 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 digitalisation 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 adding psychology officer positions to provide the best counselling services to public servants across Sabah.
“Psychological issues are very important to address because they can have a positive or negative impact on civil servants in carrying out their responsibilities,” he said.
