Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh and a very good morning to all, 

1. It gives me great pleasure to be here with all of you today in conjunction with World Mental Health Day 2025, as we witness the launch of the Peer Support Module for Mental Health by MIASA, with the support of YSD.  
2. I would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Sime Darby Berhad for graciously providing the venue for today’s event. Your support, shown by the Sime employees here with us, truly reflects a culture that doesn’t just talk about care, but lives it. Thank you to all Sime employees for standing in solidarity with us in this important cause. 
3. Today’s realities remind us that mental health is not just a medical concern, but a societal one. Experts warn that Malaysia faces a mental health ticking time bomb. Recently, the nation was shaken by the case involving a schoolboy who fatally stabbed a schoolgirl 200 times. This is a heartbreaking reminder of how unaddressed psychological pain can manifest in dangerous and desperate ways. Research highlights bullying, family conflict, anxiety, and depression as major contributors to the growing mental health crisis among children. 
4. In the workplace, the impact of mental health is just as profound. According to the Malaysian Employers Federation, mental health challenges may cost Malaysia up to RM4.27 billion in lost productivity — nearly 1% of our GDP. Behind this figure are real stories of employees struggling with financial stress, burnout, anxiety, and the weight of unsupportive work environments. These challenges are not just personal — they are organisational and national concerns that demand urgent attention.  
5. That is why partnerships like today’s are vital. YSD’s journey with Puan Anita and MIASA began in 2021, at the height of the pandemic, when we took our first steps — through trial and error, as well as various challenges — to establish a responsive 24/7 mental health crisis helpline. What started as an emergency lifeline has since grown into a structured communication platform, with the training and equipping of volunteers – that has built a reliable national crisis support network for the nation. 
6. Recognising the importance of sustained intervention, YSD expanded our support in 2023, pledging an additional funding which brought our total commitment to RM1.4 million. This has enabled MIASA to enhance helpline services, train more volunteers, award postgraduate scholarships, and develop capacity-building modules and programmes for mental health practitioners and advocates. 
7. To date, the MIASA–YSD Helpline 1-800-180-066 has handled over 26,900 calls and WhatsApp messages, each one representing a life reached with empathy and support. Additionally, 218 volunteers have been trained, while more than 3,100 beneficiaries from B40 families have benefitted from individual and group therapy sessions.  
8. With YSD support, MIASA has also reached over 6,700 participants through 286 engagement programmes, including employees from YSD donor companies — strengthening awareness and compassion within both communities and corporate environments. 
9. We are very proud that 6 MIASA personnel are now internationally certified Peer Support Specialists under the Intentional Peer Support (IPS) framework. This achievement led to the development of the Peer Support Module for Mental Health we are launching today — a first-of-its-kind resource that can be adopted by corporates, universities, schools, NGOs, and community networks across Malaysia, which fully aligns with YSD’s Community & Health Pillar objectives. 
10. The launch of this module marks a significant milestone in empowering employees and communities. The concept of peer support is simple yet powerful — it is about individuals helping one another through shared experiences, empathy, and trust. By formalising this approach into a structured module, we are ensuring that mental health support becomes more accessible and inclusive — a tool that anyone can learn to offer support with compassion and confidence. 
11. This commitment to compassionate support is also embodied by the people behind the scenes – the unsung heroes. This morning, we recognise 5 long-serving MIASA Crisis Team Responder volunteers whose unwavering dedication has ensured that every call they receive is met with empathy, professionalism, and care. Their consistent service has been instrumental in sustaining the helpline — a lifeline for many who reach out in their most vulnerable moments. Thank you, our volunteer heroes, for your hard work and dedication! 
12. As we honour their service, I encourage more employees, students, NGOs, and community members to step forward and volunteer -- to be trained, and join this growing network of responders. We hope that MIASA’s sharing later today will inspire you to register for the upcoming volunteer training. All training costs will be fully sponsored by YSD under the YSD Huluran Kasih Employee Volunteering Programme. Further information is available at the MIASA booth outside. 
13. I also invite corporate partners and NGOs, to commence collaboration with MIASA and utilise the Peer Support Module for Mental Health launched today to empower your employees and communities in promoting mental wellness.  
14. To MIASA, its dedicated volunteers, and all partners involved — we extend our deepest gratitude. It is also truly heartening to see MIASA’s tireless efforts being recognised by the Ministry of Health, with Puan Anita being appointed as a member of the Advisory Council on Mental Health Promotion chaired by the Minister himself— a testament to the hard work you bring to this cause every day. Congratulations to Puan Anita and team on this well-deserved acknowledgment! 
15. To those who may be struggling, your feelings are valid, your story matters, and you do not walk this journey alone. Know that there is always help, just a call or WhatsApp message away. Reach out to someone who understands, whether it's a close friend, family member, or a professional. No matter the situation, support is available, and together, we can find hope and healing. You are never alone in this.  
16. Let us strive to stand hand in hand — as organisations, as communities, and as individuals — to build a Malaysia where mental health is not just a conversation, but a shared commitment — met with empathy, upheld with dignity, and carried forward with warmth and care. Because together, we can be the light in someone’s darkest hour. 

May Allah always provide us all continuous knowledge, strength, and courage to help those around us who are in need. Ameeen. 

Thank you.