KUALA LUMPUR: The tragedy surrounding a policeman who shot his wife dead in their Kangar home yesterday has underscored the need for better mental health management measures for those in high-risk and high-pressure jobs.
Alliance for Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said while police have to investigate the cause of the Kangar tragedy, the authorities must also focus on the mental health aspect of those in the force.
"The police deal with a lot of stress in the course of their work. There has also been several police-related deaths recently.
"One of the aspects the government needs to pay attention to is how to help the people handle mental stress and manage mental health," he said.
Lee said one of the areas the police can focus on in the Kangar investigation is the mental health aspect.
He said that the government should look into mental health promotion such as organising mental health screenings, mental health programmes and counseling services.
"Screening can be done regularly like the DASS21 test (depression, anxiety and stress level) for those who are performing very high-risk jobs.
"All government departments should also provide counseling services to help employees who experience stress. This is especially important for those in high-risk jobs.
"There should be regular team open conversations, not about the employees' jobs but their personal life struggles, as this would allows the team to be more cohesive and supportive of each other," he said.
Lee also suggested organising mental health programmes to promote resilience and self care by suggesting ways to manage stress in terms of whether they are eating and sleeping well.
"Their workloads should also be looked into, whether it is manageable or too much," he said.
The shooting incident involved a policeman, who had just returned to his home in Kampung Bendang Baru, Simpang Empat, Jalan Kangar-Alor Setar, after finishing his shift.
The man's father-in-law claimed that the former suddenly took out his pistol and shot his wife five times at close range, killing her instantly.
The man has since been remanded for a week to facilitate investigations.
