More Malaysians are turning to mental health support services, with the Health Ministry’s Heal 15555 hotline recording 230,151 calls since it was introduced in October 2022.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the increase in call numbers reflects growing awareness and willingness among the public to seek assistance for mental health concerns.
He said the hotline received 27,738 calls in 2023, which increased to 42,990 calls in 2024 before rising significantly to 90,981 calls in 2025.
The Mental Health Crisis Helpline, established on Oct 21, 2022, provides psychological first aid and crisis intervention support for individuals facing mental health challenges, including those experiencing suicidal thoughts or behaviour.
Dzulkefly said calls involving adolescents aged between 10 and 19 also showed an upward trend, increasing from 632 cases in 2023 to 1,290 in 2024 and 2,729 in 2025.
He said the rise among younger callers indicates improved awareness among teenagers and a greater willingness to seek early assistance when facing emotional or psychological difficulties.
Over the past four years, Heal 15555 received 496 high-risk calls, involving 331 cases of suicidal thoughts and 165 suicide attempts.
Individuals identified as being at high risk were assisted through coordination between the NG999 emergency response system, police, Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Force, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and hospital emergency services before being sent for medical treatment.
Dzulkefly said the ministry also carries out follow-up monitoring for up to six months with individuals who attempted suicide to ensure they continue receiving treatment, attend medical appointments and obtain ongoing support.
He added that no repeated suicide attempts or deaths have been recorded among cases monitored under the follow-up programme so far.
The minister was responding to a question from Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PH-Bandar Tun Razak) regarding the effectiveness of Heal 15555 in providing emotional support and psychological first aid, particularly for students experiencing depression and suicidal tendencies due to mental health pressures.
