MENTAL HEALTH : A RISING CONCERN FOR OKU MENTAL HEALTH CARDHOLDERS

   

     Mental health issues are on the rise. We can't deny that eventually. With the number of suicides on the rise, we, as a society should be more empathetic to those who are suffering in silence.

       There's a rising concern about those who have an OKU mental card. In recent days, people with this cardholder have been stigmatized and viewed as bad in society. 

       It's time that we change this point of view. 

How do we, as a society in Malaysia, change the public's view on this?

      Firstly, we should Raise Awareness through education. Why? 

Because once people hear the word "OKU" ( Orang Kurang Upaya ), their first thought is people with physical disabilities. But in reality,  people don't know that there are several categories of disabilities or special-abled people. One of them is the OKU category under mental health.

Fast forward, to raise awareness, we can use social media to share real stories from OKU cardholders - their struggles, strengths, and contributions to society. 

Next is by Tackling misconceptions

Common myths like:

• “OKU mental cardholders are dangerous.”
• “People fake mental illness to get the OKU card.”
• “Having an OKU card means you can’t work.”

These need to be directly addressed in campaigns, talks, and media. Sometimes you need to un-teach the wrong ideas before teaching the right ones.

       Normalize help-seeking behaviour

Society tends to stigmatize not just OKU cardholders, but the whole idea of mental health help.

• Encourage everyone (not just OKU) to talk openly about counseling, therapy, and psychiatry.
• The more "normal" it is for people to get help, the less stigma OKU cardholders face.

  Real Talk — It’s a long fight, but change begins small

  It won’t change overnight, but every conversation, post, story, and event adds up. If you’re up for it, you could even start your own mini-campaign — like a TikTok series, Instagram page, or even just conversations in your local community.

In summary, let’s normalize conversations around mental health, and let’s work together to end discrimination against OKU mental health cardholders.

Together, we can build a better Malaysia — a country that embraces understanding over stigma, and inclusion over discrimination.

Written by Jocelyn Ng Shu Yee.