PETALING JAYA: The alleged murder of a 16-year-old schoolgirl by her 14-year-old schoolmate has reignited calls for urgent government action to address what experts warn is a worsening mental health crisis among Malaysian youths.
Island Hospital and Penang General Hospital child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr Wong Yim Chan said mental health professionals have long sounded the alarm on the issue.
“Recent violent incidents are the visible result of a long-brewing problem.
“One in six children have mental health problems, and the number has doubled since 2019,” he told theSun.
Wong said acts of extreme violence often stem from years of emotional neglect rather than sudden impulses.
“Adolescence is a volatile stage of emotional and cognitive change. Teenagers understand consequences but struggle to control impulses. The combination of impulsivity, peer pressure and social isolation can set the stage for reckless or aggressive behaviour.”
Referring to the recent case, Wong said the suspect described himself in a note as the “main character” in a video game and referred to others as “NPCs” (non-player characters).
“If you’re an NPC, you’re not supposed to have feelings.”
He said detachment reflects poor emotional development and a lack of empathy, often fuelled by anger and frustration.
“When someone feels small, he may try to feel big by controlling others,” he said, adding that this desire for dominance drives most bullying behaviour.
He cautioned against simplistic solutions or harsh punishment.
“Does caning teach kindness? No. The child doesn’t learn to be kind.”
On social-media use, Wong urged regulation rather than prohibition, alongside education on responsible online behaviour.
He also called on the education and health ministries to embed “social emotional learning” in schools to teach empathy, anger management and conflict resolution while training teachers to identify early warning signs.
Wong said Malaysia’s shortage of mental health professionals compounds the crisis.
“There are only about 40 child and adolescent psychiatrists nationwide. We urgently need more specialists, counsellors and structured coordination among the education, health and welfare sectors.”
He said more resources must be channelled into mental health services, warning that the recent case serves as a grim reminder of the cost of inaction.
“Every case is different but the pattern is clear – low empathy, social rejection, distress and no adult intervention until it’s too late.”
On Oct 11, a 14-year-old student at SMK Bandar Utama 4 in Petaling Jaya allegedly stabbed a 16-year-old schoolmate in a toilet.
Reports said the victim was stabbed multiple times in the neck, chest and legs before being left inside a locked cubicle.
