KUALA LUMPUR, October 25 – The Youth and Sports
Ministry (KBS) has launched a new initiative, the Dengar Rakan Muda Project,
aimed at providing accessible and confidential emotional and social support to
Malaysian youth. The project officially begins on November 1 and the Team
from HELP University will be at the Square, Publika every 1st
Saturday of the month from Nov 2025 to Jan 2026.
This initiative is a critical step in addressing the growing
mental health challenges faced by young Malaysians, offering them a dedicated,
stigma-free environment to share their concerns and be heard.
A Safe, Judgment-Free Space
As a leading institution dedicated to producing well-rounded
graduates, HELP University is a key knowledge partner, leveraging its expertise
in psychology, counselling, and youth development to support the project’s
long-term sustainability and impact.
The Dengar Rakan Muda Project falls under the Ministry’s
Rakan Prihatin lifestyle initiatives and was launched in conjunction with World
Mental Health Day 2025.
Youth and Sports Minister YB Hannah Yeoh emphasized the
importance of community-based support for mental well-being. “Mental
health is no longer a fringe issue. It has become one of the biggest social
challenges facing Malaysian youths,” she said at the launch ceremony at Publika
Shopping Gallery.
The core goal of the project is straightforward: to create a
safe space where young people “can come to share and be heard without
judgment, stigma, or prejudice, and where all interactions are kept
confidential.”
Why a Shopping Mall? Making Help Accessible
To make the support as approachable as possible, the first
venue for the project is located in a high-traffic, youth-friendly location: Publika
Shopping Gallery.
YB Hannah Yeoh explained that placing the project outside of
a typical medical setting was a deliberate choice to encourage participation.
“If this programme were held at a hospital, they might feel shy or afraid
to come. That’s why we’re holding it at a shopping mall, which is more
youth-friendly and easily accessible location,” she noted.
This strategic choice aims to lower the barrier for youths
seeking support, making it feel less like a clinical intervention and more like
a normal part of community life.
Key Objectives and Future Plans
The Dengar Rakan Muda Project has several important
objectives:
Provide
a platform for immediate mental and emotional health support.Raise
awareness that mental health is equally as important as physical
health.Reduce
stigma and encourage youths to feel more confident in seeking
professional help.Empower
young people to become agents of change in their own communities.
The project is a collaborative effort implemented through
the National Youth and Sports Department (JBSN), in partnership with UEM
Sunrise Berhad (which provided the venue), HELP University, and The
Befrienders Kuala Lumpur who will deploy trained volunteers to ensure
quality and empathetic support.
KBS has ambitious plans to expand the project. Minister YB
Hannah Yeoh confirmed that the Ministry will strive to roll out the initiative
nationwide through JBSN, ensuring that a safe platform to interact and seek
help without fear or stigma is available to youths across the country.
(Press Release)
