HELP University Partners Youth Ministry to Launch Nationwide Mental Health Support Project

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.