Malaysia’s National Dialogue on Gaming and Preventing Violent Extremism Conducive to Terrorism was held today, bringing together government representatives, gaming stakeholders, civil society actors and young gaming leaders to explore concrete actions toward safer and more resilient gaming communities.
The Dialogue was convened by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), through the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT), and the Southeast Asia Regional Centre for Counter-Terrorism (SEARCCT), in partnership with the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI). It formed part of the “Building Safer Online Gaming Communities: Empowering Young Gamers in Southeast Asia to Prevent and Counter Violent Extremism” initiative, funded by the Australian Department of Home Affairs.
Throughout the day, participants tested the research findings against national Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) priorities of Malaysia and the concrete experience of national gaming communities. Interactive demonstrations and discussions led by youth gamers examined current approaches, identified gaps and helped shape actionable recommendations for government, industry, practitioners and communities.
The regional evidence underpinning the exchange came from recent research developed by UNOCT/UNCCT and UNICRI, in cooperation with SEARCCT and the National Counter-Terrorism Agency of the Republic of Indonesia (BNPT). Drawing on a survey of 569 gamers from Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, the study examined gamers’ self-reported exposure to content that promotes hatred, discrimination or violence within gaming and gaming-adjacent spaces, while also exploring resilience factors and opportunities for preventing and countering violent extremism within these communities. It is the first study of its kind to provide a regional snapshot of these experiences among Southeast Asian gamers.
Since April 2026, young gaming moderators from Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines completed eight structured online training and coaching sessions before meeting at a two-day leadership and design workshop in Bali on 7-8 May 2026. After the workshop, participants developed policy proposals for young gamers to help shape the national rules, tools and learning designed for their communities.
The initiative will continue with the National Dialogues in the Philippines. Findings from all three countries will inform a regional analysis and support future national engagement on gaming and PCVE. A final research publication and youth-led tools developed through the initiative will be released later in 2026.
QUOTES
Ms. Sian Hutchinson, UNOCT/UNCCT’s Officer in Charge of the Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism Section, highlighted: “Our challenge is not to treat games or gamers as the problem. It is to understand these environments well enough to protect what makes them valuable, strengthen prevention and resilience, and ensure that our responses are evidence-based, proportionate and informed by the people who use and help manage these spaces.”
Reflecting on Malaysia’s efforts to connect youth experience with national digital safety and PCVE priorities, Datin Paduka Nur Ashikin Mohd Taib, Director General of SEARCCT, said: “Young people are not merely beneficiaries of PCVE initiatives, but important partners in shaping solutions that respond to the realities of today’s digital environment. We must continue to harness the positive opportunities that the gaming ecosystem offers youth, while equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate an evolving online landscape safely and responsibly.”
Reflecting on Australia’s support for youth-led, evidence-informed action across Southeast Asia, Mr. Simon Fellows, Deputy High Commissioner, Australian High Commission Malaysia, noted: “For millions of young people in Australia and in the region, online gaming platforms are places of connection, creativity and learning. Our challenge is not simply to prevent harm, but to strengthen resilience. That means working with young people, industry, researchers and practitioners to align codes of conduct, maintain effective moderation and boost access to safety education for young people online.”
In closing, Ms. Nurazlina Hafiqah Binti Muhammad Ali, a beneficiary of the initiative and member of UNOCT/UNCCT’s Youth Gaming Leadership Cohort, said: “Young gamers should not only be seen as people who need to be protected. We should also be seen as people who can help create the solutions. We are the ones who are actually spending time in these spaces. We understand the culture. We understand the jokes, the language, the way people communicate, and sometimes the problems that happen within these communities.”
For more information: Laurence Gerard, Public Information Officer, UNOCT, gerardl@un.org
