Work stress must not be taken lightly
Date: 13 April 2010I REFER to the report “Move to help Johor cops cope with work stress” (Sunday Star, April 11).
I compliment the Johor Police Chief Deputy Commissioner Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff for introducing special health programmes to help policemen in the state cope with various forms of pressure and work stress.
It is very appropriate for policemen to be given talks on how to manage work stress in view of their long working hours.
Such programmes should be done and intensified nationwide.
A couple of years ago there was an incident where a policeman fired 58 shots in the air in what was described as a mental health problem.
I have frequently emphasised that mental health issues at the workplace should be given serious attention as the productivity of the staff of any organisation depends on their mental health.
No workplace is immune to mental disorders.
Mental health problems, especially stress-related ones among our workforce, are a matter of serious concern and need to be addressed urgently so that problems like depression, mental illness and psychiatric disorders can be avoided.
Police stations, district, state and Federal police contingents and headquarters are places of work.
As such our policemen should be exposed to mental health education which is vital to ensure that the police force will be productive and healthy, both mentally and physically.
The increase in stress levels and pressure could seriously affect our mental health and our daily life.
Practising good mental health is necessary to cope with these challenges.
Work stress should not be taken lightly.
Such stress affects our physical and emotional health which will in turn affect others at home.
The consequences are many.
Helping our men in blue to improve their performance to fight crime requires not only increasing their salaries, allowance and other facilities but also helping them to develop good mental health to deal with their daily work stress.
TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE,
Kuala Lumpur.
