Addictive online games becoming more rampant

MELAKA, Oct 24  -- The issue of addictive online games has become increasingly serious in recent times and is feared can have a negative effect, as it is now not only an addiction among children but also among adults.

 Malaysian Islamic Consumers Association (PPIM) chief activist Datuk Nadzim Johan said in recent years they had received complaints from the public as well as department heads, that there are civil servants who are addicted to online games to the extent of affecting their work.

He said although the number of complaints received was not many, he was worried that if left unaddressed, it could adversely affect the quality of service by public servants.

"I urge the heads of government departments to be aware of this problem and monitor and take action to contain it before it is too late,” he told Bernama recently.

Even worse, there are cases where civil servants are willing to borrow money from  unlicensed moneylenders or 'Ah Long' solely to feed their addiction.

“I also hope the authorities will take action on this matter before it infiltrates our society through stricter and more stringent enforcement and improving the existing legislation if necessary,” he said.

He said the government could emulate what the Chinese government has recently done to ban the operation of the online game ‘PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds’ (PUBG) which has been replaced by a new, more patriotic game, known as the ‘Game of Peace’.

Touching on the addiction of playing online games among children and schoolchildren, Nadzim said parents should play a role by monitoring and limiting their children's time with smartphones.

He said parents should consider their children as assets or treat them like gold and not regard them as a burden or liability.

--BERNAMA