Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said mental health is essential for building a productive, caring and emotionally, socially and spiritually balanced society.
Referring to the Ministry of Health’s National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023, she warned that Malaysia’s mental health situation has worsened significantly over the past five years. The survey estimates about one million Malaysians aged 16 and above are experiencing depression — up from roughly 500,000 in 2019 — with prevalence rising from 2.3% to 4.6%. She stressed this represents a pressing public health challenge.
Dr Wan Azizah also noted the survey found one in six children aged five to 15 is affected by mental health issues, emphasising that this is not merely a statistic but a lived reality.
Speaking at the launch of the TEKUN Nasional Wanita KASEH Programme at Dataran Pantai Morib, she said the initiative targets entrepreneurs, particularly women, and underlined the need for them to care for both physical and mental wellbeing to thrive in a demanding business environment.
“Entrepreneurs who are physically well and mentally calm are likely to be more focused, creative and resilient amid constant competition,” she said. She added that busy schedules are no excuse for neglecting health, and highlighted the importance of a healthy lifestyle, balanced diet, stress management and work–life balance. Healthy, balanced women, she said, are better able to lead their families and contribute to society.
Earlier, accompanied by TEKUN Nasional chairman Datuk Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid, Dr Wan Azizah presented financing totalling RM337,000 to eight recipients from Kuala Langat and Sepang under five schemes during the Morib TEKUN MADANI Carnival held at the same venue. Since its founding in 1998, TEKUN Nasional has disbursed RM10.5 billion to 602,059 entrepreneurs nationwide.
While depression is troubling, it disproportionately affects Malaysian youth, according to a national study. More than half of Malaysian young people experienced symptoms of depression, anxiety or stress, underscoring calls for urgent expansion of youth mental‑health services.
The Malaysian Youth Index Survey 2020 (MYI’20), carried out by the Institute for Youth Research Malaysia, interviewed 21,126 respondents aged 15 to 30 across all 13 states and three federal territories during Movement Control Order restrictions. Using the validated DASS‑21 screening tool, researchers found that only 43 per cent of participants were free from all three forms of mental distress. Twenty per cent reported symptoms across depression, anxiety and stress simultaneously.
Anxiety emerged as the most common problem. Women were disproportionately affected: moderate depression was reported by roughly 20 per cent of female respondents compared with 18 per cent of males, while severe anxiety affected about 12 per cent of women and 10 per cent of men. The survey also recorded higher rates of suicidal thoughts and planning among female respondents, though differences in attempts were not statistically significant.
Age, income, physical health and social ties all shaped risk. Younger respondents within the 15–30 age band were more likely to report symptoms; each additional year of age reduced the odds of depression by about 2.1 per cent, anxiety by 2.3 per cent and stress by 3.2 per cent. Financial security was protective: higher household income lowered the likelihood of all three conditions. Respondents with at least one medical condition had substantially higher risk, with anxiety and stress odds rising by roughly 70–80 per cent and depression by about 50 per cent.
Strong social relations and a sense of safety in the community offered a clear buffer against distress. Married young people were also less likely to report symptoms than their single peers. Ethnic differences were apparent: Chinese youth were less likely to report depression, anxiety and stress compared with Malay youth, while earlier studies cited by the report indicate elevated suicidal behaviour in some groups such as Indian adolescents.
Lead analysts described the findings as a wake‑up call for policymakers. “Younger youth, women, those with chronic health problems, weak social ties and lower incomes are consistently at higher risk of mental ill‑health,” the report states, recommending expanded school, university and community mental‑health services, better primary‑care screening for youth, and economic measures to reduce financial stress on young people.
The MYI’20 data were collected during COVID‑19 restrictions that disrupted education, employment and social networks — factors the researchers say likely contributed to elevated distress. The survey team cautioned that the results are based on self‑reported questionnaires and may be affected by response bias, and noted that their analysis focused on symptom presence rather than detailed severity gradations.
The survey’s authors called for further research to explore cultural and ethnic differences and to examine symptom severity in detail so interventions can be better tailored.
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, anxiety or suicidal thoughts, seek help from local health services, school counselling centres or crisis helplines. Prompt support improves outcomes and can save lives.
