Puan Anita Abu Bakar is the Founder and President of MIASA Malaysia and Chairman of the National Advocacy for Mental Health Association (NAMhA). A former investment banker with a degree in Computer Information Systems (Tulsa University) and an MBA in Islamic Banking & Finance (IIUM), she dedicated her life to mental health advocacy after her own lived experience.

Puan Anita pioneered Malaysia’s first peer-led mental health advocacy movement and established The Orchid Clubhouse, the country’s first peer-led crisis and activity center. Under her leadership, MIASA has launched vital services—including a 24/7 Crisis Helpline, peer support, counseling, and outreach—reaching over 100,000 people and impacting 21 million since the pandemic.

She has served in advisory roles with the Ministry of Health, KBS, and INTI University, and is a certified ASIST trainer and Peer Support Specialist. Recognized globally, Puan Anita has received multiple awards and represents Malaysia internationally, championing human-rights-based, non-coercive mental health care.