BY: AIN IBRAHIM

Perhaps you have seen these people in public, or you know of them, persons who after the Covid-19 pandemic changed to produce bizarre behaviour which now has become part and parcel of the New Normal.

While it’s not quite sure what went wrong, perfectly normal people suddenly changed in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, and it’s hard for anyone, including experts on human behaviour, as to what exactly went wrong with them.

Since their numbers have swelled in ranks, these individuals with strange behaviour have become increasingly noticeable, while there are others who by just glancing at them it might be impossible to find anything amiss or sinister.

Whatever it is, there are these mentally and emotionally challenged people in our society and the issue is to ensure they are harmless either to themselves or others, otherwise they must accordingly be referred for an assessment of their behaviour.

This is to safeguard them, and also to guarantee the safety of others, and while mental illness is still a taboo subject in Malaysia, it is important to be open and transparent and not cover or stigmatise these people.

While everyone should be accepted in the New Normal, it is also important for those who have difficulty in fitting into normal society to undergo therapy and rehabilitation until they recover satisfactorily to be able to be accepted by mainstream society.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE

** The views expressed on this opinion is of the writer and not the publisher