Contemporary Design Issues

Campaign issues in Malaysia

Malaysians are not drastically changing their lifestyles despite the millions spent by the Government to woo them with health campaigns. Are Malaysians lackadaisical and to be solely blamed for the ineffectiveness of the various health drives initiated, and for taxpayers’ money pumped into these campaigns going to waste?

The Government and the people should not be too shocked with the recent disclosure that more than RM 500 million spent on health campaigns by the Health Ministry since the 1980's has not produced the desired lifestyle changes.

In a nutshell, what this means is that the message is either not reaching ordinary Malaysians or not having the needed impact to motivate them to transform their lives.  Before we put the blame squarely on the shoulders of the people, we need to examine side-by-side the millions going into health campaigns against the advertising and patronage extended to the multinational corporations which produce the very products that are targeted.

Health campaigns can only work if there is a concerted government effort and is not ‘sabotaged’ by other ministries proffering  support to the advertising, promotion, and cultivation of these products.

Other than all this factors, targets of every campaign are same but the motives are manipulated and there begin the ineffectiveness of it.

GO and NGO in Malaysia never compete in producing campaign but there been just simple and same methods and scopes being covered. In additional, the campaigns by health ministry are to the Smokers, public littering habits and so on. But NGO expect more and organising more on Obesity tackling.

Now,it is therefore not surprising that Malaysia occupies the top spot in Southeast Asia, sixth in Asia and 39th in the world for obesity, according to WHO statistics. We are also placed 7th in Asia and 44th in the world for overweight individuals.

There is an upward trend of obesity among Malaysian kids and adults. It is obviously clear that our health campaigns cannot match the aggressive, high-cost promotions by sugar-rich food and beverage companies, as well as by fast-food corporations. There is a fast-food culture created from small among our kids, which is compounded by unhealthy snacks and rich foods sold in school canteens.

"The government should act now, act concertedly and act with a single-minded purpose to bring out a change in the mindset of Malaysians, and get them to adopt healthy lifestyles, be it smoking, alcohol or dietary habits.  All government agencies must work for the interest of the people instead of turning a blind eye, keeping silent or throwing their support to these offending companies lest their corporate sponsorships comes to a halt. Let us all remember that “health is wealth”.

The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) calls for the federal government ministries to exhibit a united front and undertake serious campaigns, which are matched and supported by strict regulations and control. Otherwise, the campaign actions will not bear fruit and it would be just money down the drain since the Health Ministry’s measures are circumvented by most, if not all, other ministries.

People must know that there is a real danger lurking, and they must be convinced to change their habits and lifestyle, by a well-intentioned government. There must be strong preventive policies and legislations, not half-hearted ones that are doomed to fail and will clearly fall on deaf ears."

(said by a secreted person by a letter to the editor of Consumer association of Penang)

Reference:

Consumer association of penang.[Online] Health campaigns must be concerted and supported by every government body. http://www.consumer.org.my/index.php/health/healthcare/474-health-campaigns-must-be-concerted-and-supported-by-every-government-body [Accessed on 30 March 2015]