Islamic authorities in Malaysia banned Muslims in the country from playing Pokemon Go, the popular augmented reality smartphone game, which became available there today.

The ban was announced late yesterday by the mufti of Malaysia’s Federal Territories, which said the decision was to protect the country’s predominantly Muslim population from being corrupted by the game.

The game could lead to the invasion of personal space, addiction, emotional disorders and other problems, the statement said.

“It is hoped that the Muslim community in particular in the Federal Territory is not involved in this gaming application,” it said.

Pokemon Go is based on the 1990s computer game Pokemon, updated with the latest technology, which superimposes virtual creatures into real world locations and allows players to view and capture them through their smartphones.

- dpa