Scientific Programme

Three days of engaging plenary sessions, symposia, workshops, and paper presentations

MCPM 2026

Programme at a Glance

View sessions by day and time. Symposium tracks are grouped for easier reading.

23 - 25 October 2026

Friday

Pre-Conference Workshop · 23 October 2026

TIME	BALLROOM 1 (Level 2)
0800-0830	Registration
0830-1230	PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP 1 Handling Difficult Conversations: Tips for Health Care Professionals Dr Johari Khamis (Chairperson) Dr Suhaila Mohd Som Dr Nusrat Najmin Khan Dr Ng Boon Seng Dr Farah Nabila Bt Abdul Majid

TIME	JUNIOR BALLROOM (Level 2)
1400-1430	Registration
1430-1800	PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP 2 Synaptic Integration in Neuromodulation Therapies: From Principles to Practicality Building clinical decisions through evidence, technology and experience Dr Sivenanthini Visvanathan (Chairperson) Dr Kenny Ong Kheng Yee Dr Chhoa Keng Hong Dr Mohamad Iqbal Mohaini

Saturday

Conference Day 1 · 24 October 2026

TIME	BALLROOM 2 & 3 (Level 2)
0730-0830	Registration
0830-0900	Plenary 1 / Keynote Address Building Hope: Shaping the Future of Mental Health Care Dr Ng Chong Guan Chairperson:
0900-0945	Opening Ceremony Masters of Ceremony • Dr Aliaa Binti Juares Rizal • Dr Ng Boon Seng Bacaan Doa • Dr Muhammad Hanif Abd Latif Introduction of the MPA Heritage Gong • Dr Sivenanthini Visvanathan Opening Address • Dr Mohd Fadzli Bin Mohamad Isa • President, Malaysian Psychiatric Association Declaration of the Conference Open Tribute and Remembrance Prof M. Parameshvara Deva Excellence Award Presentation of the Prof M. Parameshvara Deva Excellence
0945 -1000	Tea Break
1000-1030	Plenary 2 Chairperson:
1030-1100	Plenary 3 Chairperson:
1100-1130	Plenary 4 Chairperson:
1130-1200	Plenary 5 Chairperson:
1200-1245	Lunch Symposium Chairperson:
1245-1400	Lunch
	BALLROOM 2 & 3 (Level 2)	BALLROOM 1 (Level 2)	JUNIOR BALLROOM (Level 2)
1400-1530	SYMPOSIUM 1 *Breaking Barriers, Building Hopes - The Art and Science of Tackling the Ageing Mind* Chairperson: *Breaking the barrier of Ageism in our own minds: Finding Meaning and Hope in Later Life* Dr Bharathi Vengadasalam *Breaking Barrier in Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease* Dr Chan Yee Fai *The Silver Tsunami: Are We Ready as Psychiatrists?* Dr Surina Zaman Huri	SYMPOSIUM 2 *Breaking Barriers, Building Hopes - The role of Community & Rehabilitation Psychiatry Services* Chairperson: *Breaking barriers in access to treatment I - Community Psychiatry Team services* Dr Vicky Loo Tsui Huei *Breaking barriers in access to treatment 2 - Integrating quality mental healthcare in primary care settings though the MIND program* Dr Mohd Zulqisti bin Mohd Zulkifli *Breaking barriers in Education - PERINTIS Program* Dr Zury Shahidii bin Kadir *Breaking barriers in Employment - RESTART Program* Dr Muhammad Adib bin Baharom	SYMPOSIUM 3 *Psychiatry in the Digital Era: Elevating Care & Training Through AI and Digital Innovation* Chairperson: *FlexMinda & Psych Ease : Augmenting Psychiatric Care with an AI-Powered Mobile Platform* AP Dr Nur Faizah Ali, & Dr Mohd Zuhairi Zainuddin *FlexMinda: Beyond Innovation: Evidence, Validation, and Sustainable Funding* AP Dr Salina Mohamed *V-PROB - Web-Based Interventions in Psychiatry: Expanding Access to Mental Health Care & Empowerment* Prof Dr Salmi Razali & Dr Nor Hidayah Jaris *Transforming Learning and Mental Health Interventions Through MOOCs and Virtual Reality* AP Dr Nurul Azreen Hashim
1530-1700	SYMPOSIUM 4 *The Medical Student Journey: Mind, Motivation and Meaning* Chairperson: *Beyond Knowledge: Metacognitive awareness and academic achievement among medical students* Dr Abdul Rasyid Sulaiman *Understanding success: How Academic Self Concept and Metacognitive Awareness Shape Medical Student Achievement* Dr Shane Varman *Faith as a Source of Resilience: Religious Coping in Medical Students* Dr Tesini A/P Paramannantha Veloo	SYMPOSIUM 5 *The Architecture of Recovery: Dismantling Therapeutic Asymmetry and Rewiring Neurocircuitry in Addiction Psychiatry* Chairperson: *The Same Patient, A Different Standard: Stigma in Addiction Psychiatry* Dr Mohd Hazreen bin Abdul Rashid *Breaking Barriers: Relapse Prevention in Addiction Recovery* Dr Sia Siaw Khing *Dopamine Detours: Rocking the Rhythm and Rewiring the Brain via Exercise and Music in Addiction Psychiatry* Dr Amir Zulhilmi bin Yahaya	SYMPOSIUM 6 *Interpersonal Psychotherapy with Cultural Adaptations for Conflictual Couples Relationships* Chairperson: Dr Xavier Vincent Pereira *Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) with Cultural Adaptations for Conflictual Couple Relationships* Dr Xavier Vincent Pereira *When Love Speaks Different Languages: IPT in Neurodiverse Relationships* Dr Umi Adzlin *Interpersonal Psychotherapy in Marital Conflict: Breaking the Negative Loop* Dr Stephanie Ong Boon Kheng *When Silence Becomes Conflict: Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Marital Interpersonal Dispute* Dr Farah Deena Abdul Samad
1730-1900	BGM

Sunday

Conference Day 2 · 25 October 2026

TIME	BALLROOM 2 & 3 (Level 2)
0800-0830
0830-0900	Plenary 6 Chairperson:
0900-0930	Plenary 7 Chairperson:
0930-1000	Plenary 8 Chairperson:
1000-1100	Tea Break & E-Poster Presentation Chairperson: E-Poster Dr Ling Shiao Ling & Dr Yuen Wai Chong
	BALLROOM 2 & 3 (Level 2)	BALLROOM 1 (Level 2)	JUNIOR BALLROOM (Level 2)
1030-1200	SYMPOSIUM 7 *Psychiatrist with Faith: Religiosity & Psychospirituality in a Multireligious and Multicultural Community* Chairperson: Dr Ahmad Rostam *Cognitive Dissonance in the Pew: Navigating the Clash Between Personal Theology and Clinical Reality in Christianity* Dr Vicky Loo *Healing the Fractured Ego: Advaita Vedanta (Non Dualism) and Existential Distress* Dr Sabbitan Balakrishnan *Integrated Islamic Psychospiritual Intervention for High-Risk Sexual Behavior* Dr Radhiahtul Akmal Razali *Ancient Wisdom, Modern Healing: Mental Health Through the Lens of Buddhist Psychiatrist* Dr See Torng Lei	SYMPOSIUM 8 *Reframing Suicide Postvention for Psychiatrists: From Prediction to Compassionate Containment* Chairperson: *Core Truths About Suicide: From Prediction and Blame to Compassionate Understanding* Dr Rachel Gibbons *Developing a National Online Suicide Postvention Balint Group for Psychiatrists in Malaysia:* *A NADIM Initiative* Dr Nur Iwana Abdul Taib *Feasibility of a Postvention Framework for Psychiatrists After Patient Suicide: Early Insights from Malaysia* Dr Muhammad Hanif Abd Latif	SYMPOSIUM 9 *Women at the Edge: Forensic Perspectives on Female-Perpetrated Homicide & Infanticide* Chairperson: *Invisible Profiles: The Overlooked Demographics of Mentally Ill Women in the Justice System* Dr Muhammad Farhan Fitri Bin Jacob *Cloak of Silence: Women Who Kill* Dr Chua Sze Hung *Silent Tragedies: Socioeconomic Roots of Infanticide in Malaysia* Professor Dr Salmi binti Razali
1200-1245	Lunch Symposium (Venue : Ballroom 2 & 3, Level 2) Chairperson:
1245-1400	Lunch
1400-1530	SYMPOSIUM 10 *Narcissism or Autism? When Psychotherapy Helps- and When It Harms* Chairperson: Prof Dr Nik Ruzyanei Nik Jaafar *Narcissism or Autism or Both? The Power and Peril of Naming* Associate Professor Dr Chong Seng Choi *Same process, different perspectives: ACT focused psychological flexibility for autism and narcissism* Dr Marina binti Abd Rahman Sabri *The Self as a System: Rethinking Autism and Narcissism through Family Therapy* Associate Professor Dr. Ruziana Masiran	SYMPOSIUM 11 *Behind Closed Doors: Sexual Distress and Mental Health in Men and Women* Chairperson: *Understanding Sexual Distress: Culture, Development, and the Stories Patients Never Tell* Dr Maryam Amaran *Ten Years of Practice-Based Insights from a Specialist Clinic:* *Psychological Profiles, Treatment Trajectories, and Lessons Learned in Vaginismus Management* Dr Umi Adzlin Silim *When Desire Fails: Men, Shame, and the Silent Struggle for Intimacy* Dr Ahmad Faizal Shamsuddin	SYMPOSIUM 12 *Local Communities, Global Minds: Advancing Community Mental Health in Southeast Asia* Chairperson: Dr Iwana Abdul Taib *Continuity Beyond Crisis: A Case-Based Journey Through Community Psychiatry for High-Risk Mental Illness* Dr Pongsakorn Lengdee *Assertive Community Treatment in Malang, Indonesia: Principles, Practice, and a One-Year Implementation Report on Community Mental Health Empowerment* Dr Kresna Septiandy *Building a Safer Ward, Building a Stronger Community: Lessons from a District Psychiatry Transformation in Malaysia* Dr Tow Zhen Jiang
	BALLROOM 2 & 3 (Level 2)
1530-1600	E-Poster Award Ceremony Closing Ceremony Master of Ceremony: