KUCHING: A whole-of-community approach is vital to destigmatise and address mental health issues, especially among youths, says Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu.
The state Deputy Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister said such an approach was instrumental in encouraging those facing mental health problems to seek help.
"Mental health tends to be the issue that is left out because it is associated with a stigma in society.
"But for any illness or challenge, we need the whole community to make sure we can solve it, through our collective strength, wisdom and the willingness to help each other," he said when opening the Sarawak international conference on youth mental health here on Monday (July 28).
Rentap said his ministry was committed to engaging with stakeholders on addressing mental health issues.
He said these issues were becoming prevalent among youths, who may experience depression and anxiety related to social media use, cyberbullying and the fear of missing out.
"This conference is not merely a gathering of ideas; it is a call to action. Let's come up with a resolution and see how we can take this forward.
"By bringing together experts, scholars, youth leaders and policymakers under one roof, we are saying 'no more silence'.
"Let's build a better, healthier and more inclusive future for our youth," he said.
Rentap also called on the youth participants to speak up, learn from each other and make a difference.
"I hope this conference brings you more awareness about mental health and most of all, for you to have an ear to hear out your friends, be a shoulder to cry on and help one another," he said.
Themed "Driving Inclusivity in Youth Mental Wellness", the two-day conference was organised by the state Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Ministry in collaboration with the Institute for Youth Research Malaysia (IYRES).
It aims to facilitate the exchange of research findings towards formulating an overview of youth mental health in Sarawak, which can subsequently be used as the main framework for addressing mental health issues among youths in the state.
