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A small yet wealthy nation, Brunei Darussalam may seem a utopia to outsiders. Yet, beyond the richness of its façade, 1 in 8 people may be living with a mental health problem, considering that the population is under a half-million. Hence, in response, the country implemented laws, such as Mental Health Order 2014, to reduce the stigma and continue the conversations surrounding mental health. Beyond legal measures, English literature plays a significant role in the conversation on destigmatizing mental health. Literary works explore the dynamics surrounding culture, traditional healing and Western medical interventions, illustrating that their co-existence may promote a deeper understanding of mental health issues. These initiatives can encourage greater empathy and support within the community.
Brunei Darussalam, a small sultanate situated on Borneo island, has made significant strides in raising awareness of mental health in recent years. With the COVID-19 global pandemic vastly impacting mental health, there is an increased urgency to address a wide range of mental disorders and illnesses, including anxiety, depression, and mental health challenges arising from harmful social interactions, such as bullying which can lead to self-harm. While mental health issues may affect anyone during interspersed moments of poor mental health, mental disorders and illnesses are diagnosed conditions of ill health that persistently affect thought and behavior. The World Health Organization reports that 1-in-8 experience a mental disorder, which is a cause for concern that emphasizes the growing importance of mental health. Institutional and personal efforts to normalize discussions on mental health have taken place across the nation, especially since Brunei’s Mental Health Order 2014 replaced the Lunacy Act 1929, which was in effect during the British protectorate period prior to Brunei Darussalam’s independence.
Brunei Darussalam has practiced the British common law system since it was introduced during the early British residency period in 1908. A recent introduction of the Syariah Penal Code Order 2013 exists alongside the civil legal system, but the former takes precedence in family and property law. Syariah law reinforces the Malay Muslim identity of this independent nation. With under half a million people, Malays consist of 73.7% and Chinese make up 9.6% of the national population. While Malays are the dominant group in the nation, Chinese constitute the largest ethnic minority people in Brunei Darussalam. Indigenous spiritual beliefs have played a role in shaping the way that mental health problems are interpreted and managed, and these either compete with, or complement conventional medicine based on Western scientific methods.
Brunei’s Mental Health Order 2014 seeks to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health disorders by promoting supporting communities. This legislation is influenced by the development of mental health services and supports of neighbouring countries like Malaysia and Singapore.
Provisions to protect the rights and welfare of people suffering from mental health issues do not just rest with legislative changes. Formal and informal conversations in public and domestic spaces have shaped the discourse surrounding mental health, especially in terms of the language used to address people with mental health problems. Even while there has been a significant development in the departure from the Malay terminology of gila (crazy or lunacy), social stigma continues to be prevalent in Brunei Darussalam. Erroneous descriptions of “weak” and “different” that are ascribed to those with mental health problems are not uncommon. This process of othering, shaming and belittling is damaging as it disparages members of the society who otherwise must be embraced. Support is crucial for them to gain access to treatment or assistance to alleviate the physical toll and silent suffering, which require inclusive care.
In breaking the silence surrounding mental health issues, English literary works have emerged in the contemporary Bruneian scene, contributing to the conversations about living with mental health challenges.
Two recent works including a novel entitled The Witch Doctor’s Daughter (2022) and a stage play entitled Tomorrow, The Sun Sets (2022) have given pause to consider the topical issue of mental health in current literary discourses accessible to the general public. Published by the Singaporean independent publisher Epigram Books, Kathrina Mohd Daud’s novel explores the ethics of traditional healing performed by Muslim spiritual practitioners. May Cho’s play, set in Brunei, was staged for the local audience in the post-COVID period after being postponed due to COVID-19. The performance drew a sizeable crowd who were moved by the complexities of a female protagonist struggling with depression following the loss of her mother.
The English literary scene is still emerging, in contrast to the more established Malay works. Bruneian authors who write in Malay have gained recognition, and are amongst those who are recipients of the Southeast Asian Writer Awards or S. E. A. Write Award. While Malay is the official language, English is the medium of instruction in many schools and is widely spoken. The emerging English literary scene in Brunei Darussalam is dominated by young adult writers, some of whom participated in Brunei’s TinyLit Festival 2021, a literary event that involved authors and readers from near and far.
The launching panel at this festival facilitated a meaningful discussion about mental health issues covering management in clinical psychology to the important role of literature in normalizing conversations about the challenges in living with and managing mental health disorders.
In The Witch Doctor’s Daughter, djinns—invisible creatures comparable to genies—are often identified as the cause of spiritual ailments. A common belief among the Malay Mulism, is that spiritual possessions by djinns, produce hallucinations. This motif is often featured in fiction from the Malay world, resonating with both local and regional audiences. Significantly, this novel addresses debates about a rigid dichotomy between traditional and Western medicine, as well as exploring considerations for the livelihoods of traditional healers (who are often conflated with witch doctors) in their offering of a cultural service of appeasement and comfort to a Malay community. Medically trained doctors and the institution of the hospital are involved, as people with mental illness may resort to Western medical models as a treatment option too. In this novel, it becomes evident that there is no exclusion of available health resources for managing mental illnesses, whether scientific or traditional methods. Interestingly, the witch doctor is called in for healing, after receiving treatment from Western medicine. In Malay Muslim nations, including neighbouring Malaysia, it is not uncommon to seek first religious practitioners and spiritual healers before turning to Western medical intervention. The novel, thus suggests that engaging with, rather than rejecting, cultural beliefs is necessary for building shared communities and collaboratively working to destigmatize mental health.
On the management of psychological disorders, Tomorrow, the Sun Sets delineates the challenges of letting go and working through a severance of the maternal attachment. After her physical death, a mother’s ghost lingers to haunt her daughter, but with an intention to protect and offer her company. However, the daughter’s melancholia sees her returning to a local Kopitiam (coffee shop) that she often frequented with her mother. This results in the daughter’s inability to progress with her life as she continuously grieves over the loss of her mother. Chinese cultural belief in the ancestral ghost is presented through the mother’s spectral figure, which also signals a cultural attachment at the expense of relationships with other bodies. Death acts as a catalyst for her depression and isolation. As the daughter communicates with her mother’s ghost, her best friend who notices her decline in social relations urges her to seek help. Ultimately, a failure in the body’s connection with other bodies results in a loneliness that devolves into a depressive condition whereby the daughter becomes detached from reality. Mental health is a major theme that highlights the urgency for a supportive community that is available in supporting characters who encourage an exploration of life after grief and death.
As World Mental Health Day on 10th October fast approaches, Brunei has made notable progress in its efforts to destigmatize mental health problems, aiming to ensure that treatment, assistance and support are provided openly and without fear of criticism or judgement. Breaking the silence is fundamental to normalize conversations about the psychological challenges of life amidst crisis, grief and death that affect mental health. Furthermore, daily stressors of life can elevate a predisposition to mental ill health. Building mutual understanding through shared communities is absolutely vital to recognize a comprehensive wellness for the nation and the world.
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Dr. Hannah Ho Ming Yit is an Assistant Professor at Universiti Brunei Darussalam and her current research focuses on mental health representations in Bruneian literature and the media. She has written on the COVID-19 pandemic in Brunei in scholarly articles and institutional blogs. Awarded a NUS (National University of Singapore) fellowship. She is also the co-editor of the volume Engaging Modern Brunei: Research on Language, Literature and Culture (Springer, 2021).
Disclaimer: This published work was prepared with the support of the Heinrich Böll Stiftung. The views and analysis contained in the work are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the foundation. The author is responsible for any liability claims against copyright breaches of graphics, photograph, images, audio, and text used.
