Serdang, 14 Jan – IKP Postgraduate Social Club organized a program entitled “Mental Health & Stress Management: Taking Care of Your Mental Health” at the Institute of Plantation Studies. The program aimed to raise awareness among the IKP community about the importance of maintaining emotional and mental well-being in daily life. Guest speakers which were Mr. Kenny Lim, Executive Director of Befrienders Kuala Lumpur and Prof. Datin Dr. Sherina Mohd Sidek, Lecturer, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UPM. Mr. Kenny Lim had shared the role of Befrienders Kuala Lumpur in supporting individuals and communities facing emotional well-being challenges. He emphasized the importance of communication in preventing suicide issues in Malaysia and reminded participants that being an active listener is crucial in handling sensitive matters. He also highlighted practices to avoid, such as judging complaints, belittling shared problems, and giving false assurances. While Prof. Datin Dr. Sherina Mohd Sidek stressed that support from those around us can help prevent mental health conditions from becoming more serious, encourage early intervention, promote healthy coping mechanisms, and foster a more caring campus culture. She also introduced a questionnaire developed by the Ministry of Health Malaysia as a guideline to identify individual stress levels before the situation worsens. The program was attended by 15 participants, comprising IKP staff and postgraduate students. This initiative is hoped to enhance awareness among the IKP community about the importance of emotional and mental health management for collective well-being.

#IKP #MentalHealthAwareness #StressManagement #BefrienderKL #UPM