Pokemon Go sweeping UTAR Kampar
Pokemon Go officially launched in Malaysia on 6 August 2016, this augmented reality mobile game make Kampar UTARian become outgoing to chase the ‘Pocket Monsters’. Even in Sunday, UTAR students will go back hometown normally, but Pokemon Go twist UTARian behavior as made them stay at Kampar just for catch more Pokemon.
UTAR Campus have plenty of Pokemon Store and GYM Station, it is serve for player to grab Pokemon Ball, Egg and other Pokemon equipment. GYM station is a platform to let Pokemon players have a Pokemon battle.
One of the news reporting on Asia Pacific 8 August 2016, it published Malaysia’s Islamic development authority urged Muslims not to play Pokemon Go in the sense of ‘harmful’ and ‘dangerous.’
The Federal Territories (FT) Mufti’s office has clarified Pokemon Go ‘Should be avoided’ if harm from the hit mobile game outweighed benefits, but did not declare it as ‘haram’.----Malay mail online, 8 August 2016.
One of the UTAR student, who want to name as anonymous, she says: “Pokemon Go is some sort of trendy mobile game, I play it just want to follow the trend.”
Another student who stopped at road-side to catch Pokemon, “It is so fun, I can go out and catch Pokemon with my friends. It is a new form of game where it integrate GPS and camera so that the catching of these (Pokemon) monsters feels realistic.” he said.
"The joy of catching a pokemon that has not been caught is a feeling that can only be explained once you experience it yourself. "
“People like us like novelty and cool stuff, Pokemon Go is something that offers both. It bring back my childhood memory too, I really addicted in Pokemon Go.” he added.
A phenomenon can be observed in Kampar, those car drivers, motorcyclists and bicyclist drive with one hand that often stopped at road side where the Pokemon Store located.
The potential danger existing when the Pokemon players not obeying road-safety rules, it may cause accidental happen anytime.
Here to calls on all Pokemon players alert on surrounding to avoid tragedy happen. Play it wisely and do not make Pokemon Go become harmful.