JOHOR BAHRU – The Befrienders in this state is one of the nine centres in Malaysia and one of the 183 centres around the world. They provide emotional and confidential helplines to the distress and sufferings people to prevent the loss of lives.

Every year, Befrienders Johor Baru, receives no less than 6000 calls on average and one of the top 5 centres receiving the highest number of contacts.

When a person contacted a Befriender, they will find someone to listen, someone to trust, someone to care, someone who can talk about suicide openly, someone to help explore other ways of dealing with problems now and in the future.

These volunteers apart from providing their time tirelessly, they listen without judgments, and help those in need to work through what’s on their mind.

Apart from providing their time weekly at the call centers, the Befrienders also organize activities to raise fund and to create awareness. The efforts and sacrifices that they have given are invaluable and cannot be repaid by humanity alone.

According to Befrienders Johor Bahru president Danny Loo, their mission is “to make our world a better place is no longer a struggle if we hold each others hand in hand.”

He said, “Looking at the alarming rates of depression whereby one in every eight person is afflicted is indeed very close to home. It seems like having one person in each family.”

The centre, according to Danny says it receives about 500 to 600 averagely calls. Most of the calls are related to financial challenging that may have brought to domestic violence, unemployment, financial constraints among students and many more.

He explained that there are about one individual who got into depression out of every eight persons.

“That’s very alarming, we believe in awareness and early intervention,” he said.

However, he said, mental illness is a norm now. People get sick, recover and fall sick again. You need to look for somebody you can trust and talk to them.

The recent announcement in Parliament to decriminalize suicide attempt show that mental illness is just part of our daily illness. People get sick, go for treatment and medication, people recover.

We shall no longer be judgmental to any of the mental health patient. They are like us, who never wanted to get sick. The illness come to them without choosing gender, age, races, religion and background.

Befrienders Johor Bahru have been around for the past 16 years providing listening ears to anyone who require their services.

“We are non-judgmental and the conversation will be fully confidential,” said Danny.

The main aim of the centres is to give emotional support to people when they are suicidal. The centres also alleviate misery, loneliness, despair and depression by listening to anyone who feels they have nowhere else to run.

The volunteers have all been specially trained. The work is non-political and non-religious, and volunteers do not try to impose their convictions on anyone. They simply listen.

He went on to say that during the pandemic, they managed to collaborate with Jabatan Kesihatan Johor to put up their number as hotline for the public and fronliners.

Danny stressed that they wanted to do more, not just being on the hotline waiting for people to call them.

“We always believe that the listening skills training would benefit more people if we are able to do it occasionally and on a larger scale.”

The Befrienders recently organized a charity dinner to extend their existing centre into a bigger training room. This charity dinner also aims to train the younger members in organizing events and team building.

The charity dinner organizing chairman Koh Mui Cheng said the objectives of this dinner is to raise awareness of the Befrienders services, to raise RM150,000 for a training centre with adequate facilities, providing a better environment for the volunteers to improve individually, serve more efficiently with compassion and empathy.

She said it is also to strengthen the Befrienders JB outreach activities and to increase the number of volunteers serving the community.
She expressed her gratitude to Khedlly Koh for composing and singing the “Befrienders song”.

Johor State Legislative Assemblyman for Stulang Andrew Chen Kah Eng who was the guest of honour at the charity dinner said the Befrienders play an important role in providing emotional support for people who are struggling with stress, social isolation and depression.

He said, “Through the services provided I believe many lives have been saved as they provide a platform for people to walk through distress or suicidal thoughts.”

The charity dinner night included the 24 festive drums by Xiyao Culture Association, dance performances, songs, lucky draws, speeches and laughter performance by Happy and Joyous Club.

As long as the Befrienders are around the volunteers will continue regardless of religion, race, age and gender provide listening therapy, specifically for the depressed, helpless, lonely, suicidal tendencies to provide a channel to express their emotions.