Puan Anita Abu Bakar is the Founder and President of Mental Health Inclusion, Awareness, Support and Advocacy Association Malaysia (MIASA) and the driving force behind Malaysia’s first peer-led mental health advocacy movement. Under her leadership, MIASA has championed a human rights–based, non-coercive approach to mental health; placing dignity, autonomy, and lived experience at the center of care. She has spearheaded transformative initiatives including a 24/7 crisis helpline, structured peer support services, and nationwide community outreach programmes that have touched hundreds of thousands of lives.

Puan Anita serves on key national advisory platforms and is a certified HRD Corp trainer and ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) trainer. She also holds certifications NCD UHC, Optimal Health Program and Intentional Peer Support, reinforcing her commitment to recovery-oriented and evidence-informed practice. She is also a Fellow and Industry Expert for several universities in Malaysia, contributing her expertise to academia, research, and the development of people across all stages of life from students to working adults and community leaders.

Her advocacy has earned international recognition, including the Patient Champion in Science and Medicine Award by the International Metrodora Awards, as well as the Top Health Care Management Award, affirming her leadership in transforming mental health systems through dignity-driven, community-based solutions. An internationally recognised advocate and speaker, Puan Anita continues to amplify lived experience, dismantle stigma, and drive systemic change in mental health policy and practice across Malaysia and beyond.