Elder brother of victim may have been enraged over breaking of mobile phone by younger sibling
PETALING JAYA: Johor police have not ruled out that a six-year-old boy, who was seriously injured after being slashed and stabbed in Kampung Parit Nipah Laut, Batu Pahat two days ago, was attacked by his nine-year-old brother under the influence of an online video game.
State police chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said initial findings suggest that the older sibling allegedly lashed out after his Roblox game was disrupted, losing about one million points when the victim damaged his phone.
“The motive is under investigation, but initial evidence points to anger over the loss of Roblox points after the phone was broken.
“The elder brother is believed to have suffered hallucinations at night and claimed to have been ‘instructed’ to harm his family before attacking his brother with a kitchen knife,” he said after attending the state police contingent monthly assembly yesterday.
The victim is being treated at the Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital.
Police are recording his statement to confirm the sequence of events.
Ab Rahaman said the parents have been remanded until today to assist investigations under Section 326 of the Penal Code and Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001.
“The children are under the care of the Social Welfare Department.
We detained the parents as we believe they were aware of what happened, although investigations are in the early stages,” he said.
The case will be referred to the state legal adviser’s office for further action.
Earlier, Batu Pahat police chief ACP Shahrulanuar Mushaddat Abdullah Sani said the investigation began after the mother lodged a report on the morning of the incident.
She reportedly woke up to find her younger son bleeding from the neck and rushed him to hospital.
Meanwhile, experts have warned of blurred reality from immersive games, adding that role-playing games (RPG) that let players live out virtual lives could blur the line between fantasy and reality, especially for young or emotionally vulnerable players.
Universiti Teknologi Mara new media specialist Dr Mohamad Razeef Shah Mohamad Rafik said while developers do not set out to promote violence, trouble begins when children play mature games without guidance.
“As designers, we focus on gameplay, such as running, shooting and jumping, not on promoting violence.
The issue arises when kids are left to interpret it alone.”
He explained that RPG are particularly immersive because they reward players for acting out their character’s decisions.
“When children play, they become the character.
That is when reality and fiction start to blur,” he said, citing games such as Grand Theft Auto that encourage aggressive or obscene acts.
“These games are designed for escapism.
But in real life, such behaviour carries consequences.”
Razeef said most video games in Malaysia are developed in Western countries, where cultural maturity and parental supervision differ.
“A 16-year-old in America is not the same as a 16-year-old here.
Western developers design for their audience, but our kids consume that content without context,” he said, adding that Malaysia lacks media literacy education.
“When adults play, it is escapism.
For those aged under 18, they do not always see the separation.
They think what happens in-game could happen in real life.”
Al-Sultan Abdullah Hospital psychiatrist Dr Nur Faizah Ali said prolonged exposure to violent games could weaken empathy and impulse control, particularly among teens struggling with mental health issues.
“When violence becomes entertainment, the mind could grow desensitised.
Players may act impulsively or show less sensitivity to the suffering of others.”
She cited a 2023 Malaysian study showing that about 3.5% of adolescents displayed symptoms of internet gaming disorder, driven by impulsivity, excessive screen time and weak family ties.
She added that while most youths can play games safely, risks arise when emotional instability, isolation and lack of parental guidance combine.
