KUALA LUMPUR – To answer the question of whether e-sports can be categorised as a sport will result in a long debate, Mohamed Hanipa Maidin (PH-Sepang) said in Parliament today.
"Before this, people involved in sports looked physically fit," Hanipa said, pointing out that e-sports players, instead, usually wear thick glasses and are overweight.
But this may in fact be far from the truth, as the winners of the International 8 Dota 2 in 2018 were Malaysians Yap Jian Wei and his team, who won RM16.8 million – and were far from overweight.
During the special committee debates concerning allocations for the Youth and Sports Ministry, Hanipa also raised concerns about e-sports players being "interconnected junkies" who are addicted to gaming.
"We have heard from parents that this addiction has resulted in gamers neglecting prayers and physical exercise.
"I hope these matters are taken into account by the Youth and Sports Ministry." – The Vibes, December 12, 2020
