Sarawakian parents express concern over ‘lato-lato’ toy craze

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A child playing with ‘lato-lato’. – Photo by Roystein Emmor

KUCHING (Feb 9): The ‘lato-lato’ craze has crept into the state and it is learnt that the toy has been banned in some schools due to safety concerns.

Most recently, the toy has seen a surge of popularity especially in Malaysia and Indonesia, and with Indonesian president Joko Widodo seen playing with it recently, the toy has just gotten even more popular.

Following the latest toy craze, The Borneo Post talked to some parents on the matter.

“Whether the toy poses a risk or not, I just do not like it because of the noise it makes when one is playing with it,” said Dexter Tan, 48.

Dexter Tan

The coffee shop proprietor, who only viewed the toys as noise nuisance, believed that they ought to be banned altogether if they cause injuries.

Any toy that possesses safety hazards needs to be banned because no child should get hurt or hurt others when playing with it, he added.

Another parent, Amy Richard, 45, echoed Tan’s comments and added that the toy, at first glance, had her thinking of whether it is safe for the children.

Amy Richard

“I think one could get hurt or hurt someone else when playing with the toy. I am, however, glad that none of my children have caught the craze in playing them,” she said.

As for Khairul Azhar, 37, who works as a food deliveryman, he feared that the toy would be misused by the children as a weapon to hurt others.

According to him, the lato-lato is very similar to ‘nunchaku’ or nunchucks – two sticks that are joined by a short chain or chord, and it is possible to be used as a weapon to strike the enemy.

“I told my children not to play with the toy or mingle with any children who play with the toy. I just do not like to see children getting hurt,” said Khairul.

Khairul Azhar

There were reports saying that the toy had already been banned in the United States many years ago due to ‘high risks of injury among children’, while there were also reports saying that the toy was also banned in Sabah schools as well.

Countries like Canada and Egypt were also reported to have banned the toy, although the toy’s ban in Egypt was not related to safety hazards.

‘Lato-lato’, also known as ‘clackers’ in the United States, was popular there in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

According to a Wikipedia article on the toy, the website describes the toy as being “formed out of two solid balls of polymer, each about two inches (five centimetres) in diameter, attached to a finger tab with a sturdy string.

“The player holds the tab with the balls hanging below and through up-and-down hand motion makes the two balls swing apart and back together, making the clacking noise that gives the toy its name.

“With practice, one can make the balls swing so that they knock together both above and below the hand,” said the article.

It has also been said that the lato-lato got its name from a Bugis word “latto-latto” which if translated means ‘making clacking sounds’.