RAUB, Oct 30 — The Communications Ministry is assessing the need to license at least 10 types of online games, including Roblox, which it deems unsuitable for children under the age of 16, said its minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.
“We are studying the most appropriate and effective regulatory framework. Give us some time before an official announcement is made, but what is certain is that we cannot afford to remain idle,” he said.
Fahmi added that the ministry had met Roblox's representatives following an incident in Kampung Parit Nipah Laut, Batu Pahat, Johor, where a six-year-old boy was severely injured after being attacked by his nine-year-old brother on Monday (October 27), allegedly due to the influence of online gaming.
“I met with Roblox representatives, and they were quite anxious because, on the same day, reports emerged of a nine-year-old who injured his younger brother, and the case was linked to Roblox.
“I have personally banned my children from playing Roblox and deleted the app from all devices at home. However, the government has yet to make an official decision on the matter, so I urge parents to monitor their children’s online activities closely,” he said.
Fahmi was speaking to the press after officiating the Pahang-level Safe Internet Campaign (KIS) at SK Raub Indah today.
Also present were state Communications and Multimedia, Youth, Sports and Non-Governmental Organisations Committee chairman Fadzli Mohamad Kamal and Communications Ministry deputy secretary-general Mano Verabathran.
The minister said that, through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), the ministry is also reviewing the most effective and efficient mechanism to regulate online video games amid growing concerns about user safety, especially among children.
Discussions have been held on the matter, but no official decision has been made yet, as it remains under evaluation.
“InsyaAllah (God willing), the Online Safety Act (OnSA) will take effect early next year. This Act will be used to ensure that social media platforms and online service providers create a safe ecosystem, particularly for children and families,” he said.
Separately, Fahmi said that MCMC will summon the developer of the OMI app soon to explain, following a case involving a 12-year-old girl who was allegedly mistreated by a man she met through the platform.
“This app must come under regulatory oversight because we cannot allow such incidents to recur. MCMC is currently reviewing the app, and it is understood that OMI has not yet been classified under any regulatory category.
“Our challenge is not only to restrict social media access for those under 16 but also to ensure proper age verification and identity confirmation.
“Each platform, such as Facebook and TikTok, has its own mechanisms, but they are still not convincing enough,” he said.
