LAST month, police arrested a man for allegedly attacking his wife with an axe and for an incestuous relationship with his daughter. In April, a man was sentenced to 25 years in jail and 10 strokes of the rotan by the Sessions Court for sexual offences against an 8-year-old girl, and a 42-year-old man was sentenced to 10 years in jail and 10 lashes for raping his daughter.
Just two days ago, a man and his wife were found dead, covered in blood in the living room of their house. They were believed to have been killed by a family member.
Looking at the spate of crimes, one can be forgiven for thinking they are the country's staple diet. Upon closer examination, though, it can be described as a section of society suffering from some form of mental disorder.
For, who in their right mind would commit such acts?
Such personal cases could have a link to psychotic disorders, where one's mental state plays a big role. In February, Forbes reported that experts predicted "a tsunami of psychiatric illness" in the wake of quarantining and physical distancing.
Tied to personal setbacks like losing a job, being treated unfairly by others or failure in relationships also served as factors in irrational and violent behaviour. According to the medical journal, The Lancet, "higher rates of violence perpetration have been identified among people with particular types of severe mental illness, namely schizophrenia and bipolar disorder".
The 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey showed that nearly 500,000 Malaysians had symptoms of depression even before the pandemic began. Another contributory factor is that the Covid-19 era of restrictions might have prevented some from seeking help.
This Leader can go on incessantly about facts and figures, but they mean nothing if the situation remains unchecked. Yes, efforts have been made to improve the people's mental health. In the 2022 Budget, the government allocated RM70 million to enhance support, counselling and psychosocial services, and advocacy programmes.
There's also tax relief for expenditure on medical check-ups, including the cost of consulting psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and registered counsellors.
Still, more needs to be done. We need to start identifying the triggers that aggravate mental health in society, such as bullying, social media negativity and anxiety, substance abuse and the stigma attached to mental disorders.
Often, one who suffers from depression is reluctant to seek treatment for fear of being labelled crazy. Psychologist Associate Professor Dr Mohd Awang Idris says such stereotyping would only toughen one's resolve not to seek treatment.
Hence, although we welcome the Health Ministry's move to set up a centre to manage and study mental health and provide mental healthcare services, we need more clinical psychologists and psychiatrists.
This is not the first time this Leader has addressed mental health. It probably won't be the last either. It needs to be said, repeatedly, that mental wellbeing is crucial to a country. Malaysia needs healthy citizens to thrive. Former British prime minister Winston Churchill said it best: "Healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country can have."