KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry is finalising a workplace mental health policy.
This is after more than 55,000 civil servants were found to be at high risk of mental health issues, including suicidal tendencies.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said engagement sessions with stakeholders were ongoing, and an official announcement would be made once the policy was finalised.
"We are still in the process of broader stakeholder consultations. We want to avoid creating a policy in silo, or developed without sufficient cross-agency input," he told reporters after the 2026 National Mental Health Month Celebration today.
In his speech earlier, Dzulkefly cited a Public Service Department report based on its MyPsyD screening system, which found more than 55,000 civil servants to be at high risk of mental health issues, including suicidal tendencies.
"These findings serve as a timely reminder that the workplace is not merely a platform for pursuing key performance indicators (KPIs) and productivity," he said.
He said depression among adults had doubled from 500,000 in 2019 to one million in 2023, according to the 2023 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS).
"We are also witnessing emotional distress and suicidal behaviour taking a toll on our younger generation," he said.
He added that more engagements were required to complete the mental health policy draft, and an official announcement would be made once it has been finalised.
In July, Dzulkefly had said the engagement sessions would involve the Human Resources Ministry, Occupational Safety and Health Department, Malaysian Employers Federation and Malaysian Trades Union Congress.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd