Psychologists and psychiatrists are definitely needed in assessing the mental health of alleged terrorists.

Dr Mohamed Hatta Shaharom, founding dean of a private medical faculty, said that such individuals need professional psychological and psychiatric assessments to determine their condition.

“In their lives of terrorism or apprenticeship towards terrorism, mental illness must be ruled out,” Hatta told Malaysiakini .

When it comes to violent events in particular, professionals involved at the scene and during the assessment and management of the violent individual must include both psychiatrists and psychologists, he added.

“Without these two groups of professionals, the appraisal, understanding and proper management of violent events and individuals would be incomplete,” he said.

His view comes after Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) lecturer Maszlee Malik said many of those who claim to be members of the IS terror network actually suffer from mental illnesses.

Maszlee had stressed that psychologists and psychiatrists should be roped in in efforts to de-radicalise and rehabilitate them.

Although the link between violence and mental illness is undeniable, Hatta however said the vast majority of people with mental illnesses are not violent.

“Among psychiatric patients, those with very serious mental illnesses have a greater tendency to be violent,” said Hatta, who is also a consultant psychiatrist at a private hospital.

An example of patients suffering from very serious mental illnesses is those who have psychosis.

Individuals experiencing psychosis, said Hatta, have disturbing false fixed beliefs that cannot be changed with reason.

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

Two common examples of psychotic disorders, on the other hand, are schizophrenia and bipolar disorder - where those suffering from the conditions have less or no contact with reality.

Former UIA student Muhammad Hudzaifah Shubli Yasin, who proclaimed himself an IS member last Wednesday night, was confirmed by those close to him as suffering from bipolar disorder.

Hudzaifah has since been ordered by the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate's Court to undergo a one-month mental health evaluation at Hospital Bahagia Tanjung Rambutan, Perak.

Meanwhile, Hatta said individuals suffering from serious mental illnesses and have become violent must be managed holistically in all the four domains of life, utilising the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual approaches.

“Any omission would result in an incomplete management that will be detrimental to the violent individual and society,” he said.

The country has been placed on the highest alert level , following the terrorist attack in Jakarta last week.

Over 20 people have been arrested over suspected links with IS in raids across the country since August last year.