PETALING JAYA: China’s new policy of limiting children to 15 hours of online gaming during their school holidays from Jan 13 to Feb 13 appears to be an appropriate strategy to prevent video game addiction but may lead to resistance, said Universiti Putra Malaysia clinical lecturer and neurologist Dr Anna Misya’il Abdul Rashid.
“If Malaysia considers implementing a similar policy, it is essential to conduct local research to understand the cultural and societal context of such restrictions.
“Policies should balance the benefits of digital engagement with the risk of addiction to support healthy development. Public consultations, educational campaigns and pilot programmes could help evaluate their effectiveness before wider implementation.”
In his paper titled “Gaming Preferences and Personality among School Students”, Universiti Malaysia Sabah psychology and social work lecturer Assoc Prof Dr
Balan Rathakrishnan said out of 20.1 million video game players in Malaysia, more than half are school students and young adults aged between 13 and 25.
Anna Misya’il said encouraging a balanced approach to technology use, rather than imposing outright bans, may be more effective in promoting a healthier digital environment for children.
“Malaysia’s rich and diverse cultural heritage provides alternative forms of entertainment that could reduce dependence on screen time. Engaging in sports, music, reading and puzzle-solving offers similar cognitive stimulation without the high risk of addiction.”
She said excessive gaming is generally defined as playing for more than four hours daily or 30 hours weekly, particularly when it interferes with daily activities, sleep and responsibilities.
“Researchers have suggested that spending too much time on screens might affect the brain’s prefrontal cortex, making it harder to control aggression by disrupting the balance of brain signals that regulate behaviour. However, more research is needed to understand how this happens.”
Universiti Teknologi Mara Social and Policy Studies professor Dr Yarina Ahmad said considering the growing global concern about gaming addiction among children, Malaysia should consider similar steps as China.
“We cannot just replicate China’s policies as their strategy involves collaboration with the gaming industry to limit playtime.
“If Malaysian gaming companies owned popular games, such as Mobile Legends, Roblox or PUBG, regulating such platforms may be more feasible. Another option is to follow the example of countries that have banned specific games, such as parts of India banning PUBG due to concerns over excessive violence.”
She said empowering parents to regulate their children’s gaming habits is a good start but its
success depends on parents supporting government initiatives and actively managing their children’s gaming activities.
“Launching educational programmes to raise public awareness on the long-term effects of gaming addiction is essential. Many may not view it as a serious issue but its impact can be significant over time.
“What is clear is that Malaysia needs to move in a similar direction by implementing control measures.”
Yarina said Malaysia’s efforts in gaming restrictions are less comprehensive compared with China, Japan and South Korea as we lack strict enforcement to address gaming addiction among children.
“Malaysia should take cues from other countries.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and government ministries must conduct comprehensive studies to understand the impact of online gaming addiction on children.”
She said parents play a critical role in managing their children’s gaming time and limiting their early exposure to the internet.
“Once children become accustomed to prolonged screen time, it becomes more challenging to control their usage.”
