PETALING JAYA: The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) has warned that the low number of reported psychosocial cases in workplaces does not reflect the true scale of the problem.
Niosh deputy chairman G. Manivanan told Sinar Daily the stigma surrounding mental health has led to significant underreporting of these issues.
“Psychosocial problems are a major global concern. They have a substantial impact on productivity, human capital development and workplace safety,“ he was quoted as saying.
He believed the actual number is much higher even though the official occupational disease statistics for 2022 recorded only one reported psychosocial case, compared to thousands of other work-related illnesses.
Linking Malaysia’s mental health issues to its lower ranking in the 2024 World Happiness Report at 58th place, he urged all employers to raise awareness about mental health at work by recognising symptoms and providing early support to affected employees.
He also called for employer support for programmes like the Occupational First Aid for Mental Health (OPFA) training from the Human Resources Ministry (MOHR) through Niosh where the training helps workers support peers dealing with psychological stress.
“This is the first programme of its kind in Malaysia and we are open to collaboration with various stakeholders, including the National Mental Health Excellence Centre,“ he was quoted as saying.
The programme surpassed its initial target of 10,000 participants, drawing widespread interest since its launch in February this year.
Manivanan said Niosh is committed to improving mental health legislation in the workplace and enhancing staff skills through other programmes like the Professional Anxiety Coach.
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