Indonesia Bans Civil Servants From Playing Pokemon Go

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The Government of Indonesia is banning all civil servants from playing GPS-based games, such as Pokemon Go, as the mobile-based game is considered a threat to national security.

The Minister of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Yuddy Chrisnandi stated here in an official letter on Thursday that all civil servants are banned to play the augmented reality game around government institution buildings "as a form of national vigilance and to prevent the possible vulnerability of government installations and security."

Moreover, the game may also affect the productivity and the discipline of civil servants while on duty, the Minister said.

"We are doing a preventive measure to maintain national security. We should not endanger national stability for any small risk," Minister Chrisnandi said.

The high-tech features of the game are making government officials afraid as they can be used for spying activities.

Indonesians have been joining the frenzy of Pokemon Go, since its launch two weeks ago.

The growing popularity of Pokemon Go, which was developed for iOS and Android devices, makes use of GPS and the camera of compatible devices.

The game allows players to capture, battle, and train virtual creatures called Pokemons, such as a cuddly yellow Pikachu, who appears on device screens as though in the real world.

However, during a couple of weeks of it becoming a worldwide hit, the game has already been blamed for a wave of crimes, traffic violations and complaints in cities around the globe.

Media reports indicated that the game was used by four teens in Missouri to lure nearly a dozen of their victims into armed robberies.

Meanwhile, social media is also buzzing with reports of players, who have suffered minor injuries from tripping and falling while staying glued to their cell phones looking for Pokemons. (WDY)