SHAH ALAM - A six-year-old boy in Batu Pahat, Johor, is recovering from severe injuries after an attack allegedly carried out by his nine-year-old brother, an incident police believe may have been influenced by an online game.
The shocking case has raised alarm over gaming addiction, child supervision and the psychological effects of violent digital content.
A Shocking Case in Kampung Parit Nipah Laut
The incident occurred at 5.30am on Monday, Oct 27, when a mother woke up to find her six-year-old son seriously wounded, his neck slashed by a sharp object, in their home at Kampung Parit Nipah Laut, Batu Pahat.
Batu Pahat District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Shahrulanuar Mushaddat Abdullah Sani said the mother immediately rushed the boy to Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital (HSNI) for emergency treatment.
The child, who sustained deep cuts to his neck, underwent surgery and is now reported to be in stable condition and able to speak.
What initially appeared to be a horrific household accident quickly turned into a disturbing investigation involving a possible connection between the attack and an online video game.
The Roblox Connection and Police Investigation
Johor Police Chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad revealed that preliminary investigations pointed to the victim’s nine-year-old brother as the alleged attacker. Police have not ruled out the possibility that the assault was influenced by the popular online game Roblox.
“The motive is still under investigation, but our initial findings suggest that the boy may have attacked his younger brother because of the Roblox game, where the points he had collected were lost after his phone was damaged,” he said during a press conference at the Johor police headquarters on Oct 29.
He further explained that the older sibling allegedly became enraged when his mobile game session was disrupted, causing him to lose approximately one million points.
Investigators also suspect the child may have experienced hallucinations due to excessive gaming.
“The elder brother is believed to have experienced hallucinations at night as a result of the game and seemed to be ‘instructed’ to harm his family members before attacking his brother with a knife found in the house,” Rahaman said.
Police are currently taking statements from the victim and his family members while awaiting psychiatric evaluations to better understand the boy’s mental state.
Parents Remanded as Investigation Widens
In a development on Oct 29, the Batu Pahat Magistrate’s Court approved a two-day remand order for the boys’ parents, both aged 41, to assist with ongoing investigations under Section 326 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing grievous hurt using a dangerous weapon and Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 for negligence.
The couple, represented by lawyer Muhamad Izwan Ishak, were arrested at 4pm on Oct 28 at the Batu Pahat District Police Headquarters.
During the remand proceedings, the investigating officer informed the court that the order was necessary to record the couple’s statements and clarify conflicting information between them.
“There was information from the child (victim) who claimed that the two suspects were involved, which required further investigation.
“In addition, there are discrepancies in information between the two suspects which require a more detailed investigation from the police,” Izwan said.
The Social Welfare Department (JKM) has temporarily taken custody of both children while awaiting further reports from the Community Health Department.
What Happens Next
Police have submitted investigation papers to the State Legal Adviser’s Office for review and possible further action. Meanwhile, authorities are conducting psychological assessments and looking into whether the online game had any direct influence on the boy’s violent behaviour.
The shocking case has sparked national concern about the potential dangers of unsupervised gaming among children.
Experts have previously warned that excessive exposure to online games with violent or competitive elements can desensitise young minds and blur the line between reality and virtual scenarios.
While investigations are ongoing, this case has become a chilling reminder for parents and guardians to monitor their children’s gaming habits and online exposure.