2004
In July 2004, a delegation of senior Malaysian health officials and mental health clinicians visited Melbourne as guests of Asia-Australia Mental Health.
The three main objectives of their visit were:
There has been close collaboration in mental health research training and service delivery between various institutions in both our countries. The July visit was a culmination of this long engagement as well as the commencement of a more formal and strategic set of arrangements between our countries.
2005
On 8th April 2005 in Sydney, representatives of Asia Australia Mental Health and The Ministry of Health Malaysia participated in a signing ceremony to celebrate and signal closer ties between our two countries in the area of mental health development.
The ceremony was attended by The Honourable Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Prime Minister of Malaysia and many Malaysian Cabinet Ministers, including the Malaysian Minister of Health Dato' Chua Soi Lek.
Professor Helen Herrman and A/Prof. Chee Ng amongst others from St. Vincent's, the University of Melbourne and The Department of Human Services Victoria have been working over the past five years with individuals, institutions and organisations related to mental health in Malaysia. They have been privileged to help train and develop a number of emerging leaders in mental health reform in Malaysia including Dr Nor Hayati Ali and Dr Phillip George. Most recently they were privileged to observe and learn from Dr A Dato' Hj, Dr. Abdul Aziz Abdullah, Chief Psychiatrist of Malaysia and Professor Hatta and his team from UKM as they expertly worked with tsunami affected regions in both Malaysia and neighbouring Indonesia.
2006
The Malaysia-Australia Cooperation in Psychiatry and Mental Health initiative began a 3-stage training program on 22 - 24 January 2006 in the Genting Highlands Malaysia for 20 Mental Health Professionals and Ministry of Health officials. AAMH members facilitated a three day intensive introductory program. The program was highly rated with participants who had not previously worked in multi-disciplinary teams. Following this, and based on recommendations from the January program, it was planned that teams of multi-disciplinary staff from each of the 4 main hospitals in Malaysia would study at St. Vincent's Mental Health in the following 2 years for placement based clinical training experience.
The first group of multi-disciplinary staff from Malaysia accompanied a delegation led by Dr Suarn Singh, Chief Psychiatrist of Malaysia of high level mental health officials to Melbourne in late 2006.
2007
In May 2007, the second group of multi-disciplinary staff from Malaysia undertook a month long intensive training program at St. Vincent's Mental Health as part of the Malaysia-Australia Cooperation in Psychiatry and Mental Health. Other Malaysian mental health clinicians also undertook the POST Program.
Malaysia is also actively involved in the Asia-Pacific Community Mental Health Development Project. Dr Salina Abdul Aziz, Senior Psychiatrist, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Ministry of Health, Malaysia presented at the APCMHD Symposium held in conjunction with WPA International Congress in Melbourne in November 2007.
2008
Malaysia continued to send psychiatrists for the Postgraduate Overseas Specialists Training (POST) Program at St. Vincent's Mental Health with Dr Ramli Ali, Psychiatrist from Selayang Hospital, completing a 6 month placement in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
In August 2008, the Asia-Pacific Community Mental Health Development Project Summary Report [pdf, 2.57mb, 92 pages] was published. Malaysia's Editorial Team, led by Dato’ Dr Suarn Singh a/l Jasmit Singh, Chief Psychiatrist, Ministry of Health, Malaysia contributed to the summary report and also provided a detailed report of Malaysia's community mental health services.