ONLINE games are not the primary reason an individual commits a terror attack, said Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

He was answering the question of whether the government would ban online games with elements of violence, following the Christchurch shooting on Friday.

“It has no relation. Does this mean we have to ban all online games because they have violent elements? I think it is bigger than that.

“Let’s give due respect to the victims. Don’t be too quick to blame the game or others,” he told reporters at the sidelines of the Asia GT Festival at the Sepang International Circuit today.

He said people with extremist leanings would commit their acts with or without having played online games.

“With or without online games, those with extremist understandings would still commit these acts.

“Terror attacks still happened in previous years, even without PUBG (PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds). Don’t put the blame on one thing,” he said, referring to an online multiplayer battle game.

Negri Sembilan mufti Mohd Yusof Ahmad had urged for the ban of PUBG, saying that it teaches violence to younger ones.

Yesterday, Special Branch counter-terrorism division’s principal assistant director Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay also urged the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to play a proactive role towards online games that have violence.

The shooting that took place at two mosques in Christchurch killed 49 people.

Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah had confirmed that three Malaysians were injured, while a youth is still missing.

He identified the three injured as Tarmizi Shuib, 46, from Kedah; Rahimi Ahmad, 39; and Mohd Nazril Hisham bin Omar, 46.

Tarmizi’s son, Muhd Haziq Tarmizi, 17, is still missing following the shooting, while a younger son, Muhd Haris, 12, is at a children’s hospital receiving treatment for trauma. – March 17, 2019.