KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 — The Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) will hold discussions with the Higher Education Ministry (MOHE) to make e-sports a long term course at universities, minister Hannah Yeoh said.
Efforts to develop talent in e-sports have already begun through short-term courses by the National Sports Association with the cooperation of the National Youth and Sports Department.
“After Selangor Red Giants (SRG) won and returned with great prize money (in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang competitions), many have begun viewing e-sports as a career.
“… But our concern as parents are there as gadget addiction is a serious problem in Malaysia, and we need to find a balance in this matter,” Yeoh said in a reply to an interjection by Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden (PN-Alor Setar) while winding up the debate on 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) for KBS at the Dewan Rakyat today.
She said a recent study by a Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) lecturer revealed a psychological gap among youth, especially mental readiness, that requires serious attention.
Yeoh said the study proved it is vital to ensure youth participation in e-sports would not affect their focus on academics and their social well-being.
She also answered a question about her ministry’s efforts to link its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes with industry needs and developments, by saying that KBS is taking steps in that direction but challenges remain, including ensuring teachers have suitable expertise in those industries.
“We’re starting pioneer projects for our institutions first in the sports field, not only motorsports but aviation sports, that are being developed with the use of AI (artificial intelligence),” Yeoh said.
