Psychological Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis; a Recovery Framework for Malaysia
The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic on March 12th, having confirmed spread to more than one hundred countries (World Health Organization, 2020). Malaysia currently has the highest number of cases in South East Asia. As of 14 April 2020, a total of 4987 positive cases has been reported by Ministry of Health (MOH), with a death toll of 82 and active cases numbering 2427.
Project Background
As COVID-19 continues to spreads at a community level, public health policies have shifted from ‘containment’ to ‘delay’ and/ or ‘mitigation. Malaysia’s enforcement of the “Movement Control Order” (MCO) has been a part of this approach, and efforts to ‘flatten the curve’ has been effective (Nazari, 2020). However, this approach has not been without socio-economic sacrifice. The Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) and Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM); Malaysia’s central bank; predicts that Malaysia’s real GDP growth will drop, from 4.0% to -2.9% (Ernst & Young, 2020; Bank Negara Malaysia, 2020). The whole nation especially vulnerable groups are suffering the highest rates of financial losses and degeneration of the psychological well-being and resilience.
This project will quantify the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on psychological well-being and resilience in the Malaysian population, and will help derive solutions that improve the psychological well-being and livelihoods for vulnerable groups. We will facilitate national surveys and interviews with target vulnerable groups, providing the needed flow of information to preserve psychological well-being.
Research Questions
How do new employees experience virtual socialisation? And How does that impact their workplace commitment?
Project Lead
Dr Ke Guek Nee
Co-investigator
Dr Dasha Grajfoner