Bandar Kuching MP urges dedicated law to regulate online gaming

KUCHING (Nov 3): Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii has called for a dedicated Act to regulate online gaming platforms in order to protect the younger generation from the growing dangers of this Internet activity.

He said the law must apply content-neutral and platform-neutral rules that focus on the level of harm, not the size of the platform. By so doing, platforms such as Roblox, Discord and other interactive games will fall within the scope of regulation and be subject to proper safeguards.

“This ensures that no one can escape responsibility due to technical loopholes,” said the political secretary to the Human Resources Minister in a statement today.

Dr Yii said the government should adopt the use of MyDigital ID or National Registration Department (JPN)-verified tokens for child-user registration.

He said this system will ensure that every gaming account created by minors is properly verified while maintaining the privacy and security of personal data.

“The verification process should not expose children’s IC numbers or biometric details to private corporations. Instead, authentication should take place through government-issued digital credentials — giving parents confidence that their children’s identities and data are protected,” he said.

He also proposed a strict ban or limitation on games that contain graphic violence, gambling-like rewards or unmoderated chatrooms for users aged below 18.

According to him, many of these chatrooms act as unmonitored spaces where predators and scammers operate.

“Regulation must therefore extend to in-game environments, not just the surface content of the games. We cannot normalise aggression or desensitise children to violence under the guise of virtual experience,” he said.

In addition, Dr Yii said Malaysia can emulate South Korea by introducing gaming curfews to address excessive gaming among minors without completely taking away access to safe and educational games.

He believed that restricting access to online games after midnight would help curb gaming addiction, improve sleep habits and encourage healthier daily routines.

He added that gaming companies must be required to release transparency reports explaining how they store, process and use Malaysian children’s data.

These reports, he said, would enhance accountability and allow both the government and the public to track whether platforms are complying with privacy standards.

“All such systems should integrate with MyDigital ID tokens, ensuring that sensitive data stays within the jurisdiction and protection of national privacy laws, instead of being stored on offshore servers beyond Malaysia’s control,” he said.

Dr Yii also urged the government to extend Online Criminal Harms Act-style regulations to gaming platforms to prevent scams, false promotions, and gambling-like mechanics targeting minors.

He said all advertisers and in-game purchase providers must be required to verify with Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) registration or a valid Malaysian ID, ensuring that only legitimate entities can operate.

Unverified or offshore advertisers should be blocked from targeting Malaysian users, cutting off a major channel for exploitation and fraud, he added.

On top of these measures, Dr Yii said the government should launch national digital awareness programmes to educate parents about gaming addiction, predatory behaviour and the use of content moderation tools.

He opined that parents must understand what their children are playing, who they are interacting with, and how to set healthy boundaries.

“When families, schools and the government work together, the results will be far more effective than punitive measures alone. That is why this has to be a national priority.

“The choices we make today will determine whether the recent tragedy related to online gaming in Batu Pahat, Johor, becomes a turning point for Malaysia to become more digitally literate and better protect our children from harms online and even offline,” he added.

Recently, a six-year-old boy was seriously injured after allegedly being attacked by his nine-year-old sibling in an incident reportedly linked to an online game.