KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 -- What began as a viral online trend has now sparked concern across Malaysia, as TikTok's Player Knockout (PK) Battles are drawing children and teenagers into addictive behaviours, including spending large sums of money and skipping school just to participate or watch.

PK Battles - real-time, head-to-head competitions between streamers - have taken off in the country, with local influencers and even religious figures joining the craze but as reports of addiction and overspending among youth mount, parents, teachers, and even government officials are sounding the alarm.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) recently announced it would be meeting with TikTok's management to address the growin...