The time for piecemeal efforts is over

I REFER to the news article in The Star on June 26 titled “Costly mental health crisis” (online at bit.ly/4oUMCNW) which says that by 2030, mental health disorders are projected to cost our nation RM25.3bil a year – that number is staggering.

Honestly, though, we shouldn’t be shocked. The warning signs have been flashing for years. And the thing is, this is not about healthcare, it’s about, well, everything.

It’s about families struggling to keep up, and kids growing up in homes where stress has replaced warmth.

It’s about an education system focused on grades – but what about teaching our children how to fail, handle disappointment, and how to sit with uncertainty?

Then there’s social media. We’re more connected than ever, yet loneliness has never been more widespread.

And walk into any office and you’ll see the same story playing out: Long hours with impossible targets, and managers who don’t know how to lead with empathy.

We’ve built a society that measures worth by bank accounts, by titles, by grades, by the car in the driveway. We’ve poured everything into developing human capital but we’ve forgotten about human character. Purpose. Compassion. Integrity. Community. These aren’t soft luxuries, they’re the very things that keep us sane.

So what do we do?

The Health Ministry can’t carry this alone. We need every single ministry at the table. Education, Human Resources, Women and Family Develop-ment, Communications, Hou-sing. We need employers, universities, religious groups, community leaders, and everyone getting involved.

We need to teach emotional intelligence like we teach mathematics, resilience like we teach history because, honestly, what’s the point of a brilliant mind if it’s broken inside?

Employers need to wake up too. Healthy workers do better work – that’s not charity, that’s just good business. Flexible hours, anti-bullying policies, counselling services, these aren’t costs. They’re investments in the very engine of your company.

And we absolutely have to kill the stigma, once and for all. Seeking help should never be seen as weakness. It should be seen for what it is: being courageous, responsible, and loving yourself and the people around you enough to say, “I’m not OK, and I need support.”

Malaysia dreams of becoming a developed nation. But can we really call ourselves developed if our people are emotionally exhausted, psychologically battered, spiritually drained?

Our greatest treasure isn’t oil, isn’t palm oil, isn’t our factories or our tech hubs. It’s us, every single Malaysian, our minds and hearts. Protecting that is not optional any more. The time for piecemeal efforts, for half-measures, for “we’ll get to it later” is over.

KT MARAN

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