JOHOR BAHRU, June 13 — Women facing emotional distress or personal challenges are encouraged to make use of the Talian Kasih 15999 and HEAL 15555 helplines to seek assistance and support services.

Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, chairman of Pertubuhan Kebajikan Amal Silaturahim Isteri-Isteri Harapan Malaysia (Kasih Malaysia), said the platforms provide women with an avenue to share their concerns, express their feelings and obtain help when dealing with various life challenges.

“Make use of the support available through family institutions, Talian Kasih and the Talian HEAL, which offer social and psychosocial support.

“What is important is that if we can save a life or help ease someone’s distress, then, insya-Allah, we have done a good deed,” she said when speaking at the Madani Family Inspiration Seminar ‘Dari Rumah Ke Negara, Mencapai Kehidupan Seimbang dan Sejahtera’ (From Home to Nation, Achieving a Balanced and Prosperous Life), here today.

Also present was Madani Government Backbenchers Club chairman Datuk Seri Zaliha Mustafa.

Talian HEAL is Malaysia’s national mental health support line provided by the Health Ministry, while Talian Kasih, managed by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, serves as a platform for enquiries, complaints, assistance and suggestions related to abuse, child neglect, sexual harassment and baby abandonment.

Meanwhile, Wan Azizah, who is also the wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Bandar Tun Razak MP, advised couples intending to marry to fully appreciate and apply the knowledge gained from marriage courses as preparation for family life.

“The knowledge needed to become a husband or wife, and the responsibilities that come with those roles, must first be strengthened. Sometimes people do not take marriage courses seriously, but we must approach them with sincerity and commitment.

“You are changing your life from being alone to building a life together. Marriage is about building a family, and we want that foundation to be strong,” she said. — Bernama