KUCHING: Kuching City FC has taken a progressive step beyond the pitch by partnering with Mentari Malaysia to promote mental health awareness, marking the club’s first community-based programme in conjunction with World Mental Health Day 2025.
The one-day football and wellness programme, themed ‘Kick the Stigma: Empowering Mental Health Recovery Through Sport’, was held at the Sarawak State Stadium and involved around 30 participants from Mentari Petra Jaya and Mentari Sentosa.
Technical director coach Wan Jamak Wan Hassan, assisted by the club’s coaching staff, introduced participants to the basics of football — both theory and practical.
Club chairman Datuk Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman said the collaboration reflects Kuching City’s commitment to holistic player and coaching development, extending beyond physical training to include mental and emotional resilience.
“We are aware that social media can be toxic and, to a certain extent, it affects players and coaches.
“That is why our first step is to work closely with Mentari to understand the needs and provide mental health support before moving towards having a permanent mental health consultant or psychiatrist,” he said.
He added that the programme will be extended to all levels of the club, especially the Under-18 squad, to equip players and staff with skills to manage stress, criticism, and public expectations.
“Our next step will involve having Mentari experts train our coaching team and players on how to manage stress, handle social media pressure, and deal with both criticism and praise constructively,” he told reporters today.
Beyond on-field performance, Kuching City FC is also preparing its youth for future opportunities.
Last month, several Under-18 players attended vocational courses at the Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak (CENTEXS) to gain both football and career skills.
“We want to ensure their future is secure, not just on the field but beyond football,” Fazzrudin added.
Dr. Zuria Idura Abd Mokhtar, consultant psychiatrist and Fellow in Community and Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Sentosa Hospital, described the collaboration as a pioneering effort in bridging professional football with community mental health services.
“We are thrilled to see a state club like Kuching City take this initiative. This marks a starting point for stronger public-private partnerships to raise awareness on mental health through sport,” she said.
The Mentari programme, under the Ministry of Health Malaysia, provides community-based psychiatric care and promotes mental health awareness through platforms such as mentarimalaysia.com, where individuals can perform confidential self-assessment tests.
