SINGAPORE: Singapore is facing a “mental health crisis” that the government must do “much, much more” to address, Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Chee Soon Juan said on Sunday (Apr 27).
In his speech at a rally outside Sun Plaza on Sunday night, Dr Chee linked poor mental health in Singapore to cost of living pressures and cramped spaces.
He called on Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, the anchor minister for Sembawang Group Representation Constituency (GRC), to do more to tackle the crisis.
“There’s no point in increasing the support network for Singaporeans without tackling the root causes of the problem. When you’re mopping the floor, do you not turn off the tap first?” he asked.
Nine candidates spoke in the rally held near Sun Plaza in Sembawang GRC, where SDP vice-chairman Bryan Lim, Ms Surayah Akbar, Dr James Gomez, Mr Damanhuri Abas and Mr Alfred Tan are contesting.
They are in a three-cornered fight against the People’s Action Party (PAP) team anchored by Mr Ong and the National Solidarity Party slate led by secretary-general Spencer Ng.
During Saturday’s rally, SDP unveiled its Sembawang town plan that includes co-working spaces and storage places in void decks for residents.
On Sunday, Dr Chee said one of the most important proposals was a mental health wellness centre for youths that offers drop-in counselling services, peer support groups, as well as mental health, education and creative workshops to build resilience.
He also said there was a need to create more “green open spaces” for Sembawang residents, especially youths and the elderly, as this has been shown to be beneficial for mental health.
An Institute of Mental Health study last year found that about one in three young people between 15 and 35 years in Singapore reported experiencing severe or extremely severe symptoms of depression, anxiety and/or stress.
