PUTRAJAYA: The Communications and Multimedia Ministry (KKMM) plans to extend a programme on mental health to the local private television stations and print media, says its minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.
This is following the Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM)-produced programme on mental health broadcast via its 'Selamat Pagi Malaysia' slot since last June 1 in channelling support to the people, having viewed by 1.5 million to 1.9 million people.
Saifuddin said the programme outlined three objectives, namely, increasing public understanding of mental health and its importance, avoiding social stigma against individuals facing mental health problems and informing the public on the assistance available.
"This mental health programme will continue on RTM but we will discuss with the private television stations if they are interested to run such a programme.
"We are also looking at how this programme could be extended to the print media using other languages other than Malay if there is a need for it."
Saifuddin said this at a virtual media conference today after chairing the Mental Health Support Communication Plan Coordination Meeting. The Mental Health Support Communication Plan Team was formed in April involving various ministries and agencies to assist individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said the mental health programme on RTM was interactive to enable viewers to call in for assistance and to ask questions.
"This programme has received good response as it has speakers from various backgrounds and fields of expertise who share tips on managing mental health, psychological pressure, anxiety, job loss and unemployment, communication and social problems faced by children and adults, as well as work pressure, especially during the current depressing time," he added
The programme involves collaboration among KKMM, the Health Ministry; Women, Family and Community Development Ministry; Malaysian Board of Counsellors and several higher learning institutions and non-governmental organisations.
Saifuddin said the government noted that an increasing number of people in this country were facing mental health problems and depression due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
"There are those who are worried sick over the impact of the pandemic and movement control or facing social isolation while others are depressed about being jobless, or facing problems like domestic violence or home teaching and learning (PdPR) constraints," he said.
Asked on the viral videos and photos of suicides on social media, Saifuddin said his ministry viewed this trend seriously and was cooperating with the police in monitoring the situation.
He said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) would be informing the social media service providers that such uploaded videos be removed from their platforms.
Meanwhile, Dr Nurashikin Ibrahim, a public health expert at the Health Ministry's Mental Health Unit under the Disease Control Division, said the ministry's psychosocial support hotline had existed since March last year to assist those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said that there had been a three-fold increase in the number of calls received this year compared to the 44,061 received last year, with 40 per cent of the calls coming from those who had lost their source of income.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Thu Jul 15 2021
The Communications and Multimedia Ministry (KKMM) plans to extend a programme on mental health to the local private television stations and print media, says its minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah. - BERNAMA filepic
Dana RM30 juta program TVET bukti kerajaan tidak abai masyarakat India - Mitra
Sebanyak RM30 juta yang diperuntukkan bagi Program Khas Pendidikan dan Latihan Teknikal dan Vokasional (TVET) Masyarakat India (MISI) KESUMA-MITRA.
MAIWP sumbang lebih RM16 juta kepada asnaf sempena Aidilfitri tahun ini
Sumbangan khas sempena Hari Raya itu melibatkan 32,250 asnaf di Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya dan Labuan.
Angka kematian lebuh raya runtuh di China meningkat kepada 36
Angka kematian akibat sebahagian lebuh raya di wilayah Guangdong, selatan China runtuh meningkat kepada 36 orang, kata pihak berkuasa tempatan, lapor Xinhua.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Tular pula isu hutang, calon PN enggan jawab
Calon PN bagi PRK Kuala Kubu Bharu, Khairul Azhari Saut sekali lagi terpalit dakwaan hutang melibatkan perkhidmatan kredit komuniti.
Bursa Malaysia dibuka rendah
Pada 9.05 pagi, FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) merosot 1.21 mata kepada 1,574.76 daripada 1,575.97 pada Selasa.
UUM dan tiga wilayah di Selatan Thailand rintis kerjasama pendidikan tinggi
Kerjasama yang diberi keutamaan ialah latihan perguruan dan kursus berkaitan bahasa Inggeris bagi pelajar dan tenaga pengajar.
Perkembangan terkini Jelajah Microsoft Build: AI Day
Acara sehari secara percuma yang direka untuk membantu pembangun meneroka peluang baharu dengan kecerdasan buatan (AI) serta memajukan kemahiran mereka dengan AI dan Microsoft Azure.
[TERKINI] Siti Bainun dihukum penjara 12 tahun
Pengasas Rumah Bonda, Siti Bainun Ahd Razali dihukum penjara 12 tahun oleh Mahkamah Tinggi pada khamis, atas dua pertuduhan mengabai dan menganiaya remaja perempuan sindrom down, yang juga dikenali dengan nama Bella, tiga tahun lalu.
Harus renjis, bilas kenderaan dengan air ruqyah - Mufti
Perbuatan tersebut bukanlah satu amalan yang khurafat dan tidak bertentangan dengan syariat.
WEF: Emerging economies: How to fix the debt problem?
Annuar mahu kementeriannya kini dirujuk sebagai K-KOMM, bukan lagi KKMM
Beliau mahu kementerian itu, bermula pada Khamis, 17 Mac 2022, dikenali sebagai K-KOMM, menggantikan KKMM yang digunakan selama ini.
Tiada lagi kebimbangan DNB monopoli 5G, syarikat telco boleh tingkatkan perkhidmatan - Annuar
Usahasama di antara pihak swasta dan kerajaan dijangka dapat memberi perkhidmatan rangkaian 5G yang lebih murah kepada rakyat di negara ini.
Dewan Rakyat: SKMM buka 20 kertas siasatan terhadap pembekal perkhidmatan mudah alih
Satu kompaun ditawarkan berjumlah RM60,000 manakala satu lagi sedang diproses dengan jumlah sebanyak RM20,000.
KKMM luluskan RM100,000 bagi bantu mangsa banjir pantai timur - Annuar
Kementerian Komunikasi dan Multimedia (KKMM) telah meluluskan peruntukan berjumlah RM100,000 bagi membantu mangsa banjir di Pasir Mas dan Rantau Panjang, kata Menterinya Tan Sri Annuar Musa.
'RIUH EK! bersama unifi' di Ayer Hitam dekatkan seni kreatif dengan Keluarga Malaysia
Aktiviti seni kreatif mampu mengubati jiwa negara yang terkesan dengan pelbagai cabaran berikutan pandemik COVID-19.
KKMM akan bina 618 PoP di Johor tahun ini - Annuar
Kementerian Komunikasi dan Multimedia (KKMM) akan membina 618 hab rangkaian gentian optik titik kehadiran (PoP) di Johor pada tahun ini, kata menterinya Tan Sri Annuar Musa.
PRN Johor: Penganjur dinasihat sediakan ruang khas sidang media - Annuar
Pihak penganjur khususnya program melibatkan parti politik pada Pilihan Raya Negeri (PRN) Johor, dinasihat menyediakan ruang khas sidang media.
Annuar Musa umum lepaskan jawatan Presiden KL City FC
Selepas memainkan peranan penting dalam melakar kejayaan Kuala Lumpur (KL) City FC menjuarai Piala Malaysia 2021, Tan Sri Annuar Musa bakal melepaskan jawatan presiden kelab itu.
KKMM sedang teliti kaedah pelaporan audit ukur kualiti capaian Internet - Annuar
Kementerian Komunikasi dan Multimedia (KKMM) sedang meneliti satu kaedah pelaporan audit yang jelas bagi mengukur tahap prestasi kualiti capaian Internet di seluruh negara.
Pengamal media harus mendukung prinsip berita tepat, beretika - Annuar
Pengamal media bertanggungjawab mendukung prinsip pelaporan berita yang tepat dan beretika sepanjang masa sekali gus akan meningkatkan integriti pihak media itu sendiri.