KUALA LUMPUR: She was furious to find her son at a cybercafe, engrossed in his game, when he was supposed to be at rugby practice in school.
But what shocked Zaridah Abu Zarin, 39, even more was seeing children, some as young as four, completely absorbed in playing online games.
Sunday matinee: Zaridah (left) and Wong (right) watching a movie with youths at their centre in Bandar Sri Damansara Sunday.
“There were also four children, squeezing in one seat, just so that they could share the computer in the cybercafe,” said the KidQ daycare centre director at Bandar Sri Damansara here.
Wong, who is also a director at KidQ, said the centre, named “U”th Community Centre, that started yesterday, would be a place for children to participate in enjoyable and productive activities.
"There's more meaning to life than going to the cybercafe. One of our immediate steps is to conduct an intervention for children addicted to the Internet at cybercafes.
"Since we run a daycare centre, we have the facilities to allow youths and children to conduct activities," said the 47-year-old.
Wong said she and Zaridah would ask the children about their interests and match them with suitable activities.
"With our background in childcare,k we can also find professionals to coach them and help them with job placements in future," she said.
Zaridah said if things went well, they would like to expand the centre to reach out to children in different areas.
By YUEN MEIKENG meikeng@thestar.com.my
