KUALA LUMPUR (ANN/THE STAR) – Meta’s approach to tackling online scam and paedophile groups has raised alarms, with Malaysian Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil suggesting the tech giant appears to be shielding such groups.
“They’ll offer every excuse in the book, but for me, the safety of Malaysians—especially children and families—is non-negotiable,” Fahmi remarked.
His statement comes as the government intensifies discussions with Meta on regulating dangerous online content.
“I’ve read that Meta is asking for more time, but honestly, we cannot afford to give more time to scammers and paedophile groups that are now rampant.
“We’ve received reports about the existence of paedophilia groups on Facebook, some with hundreds or even tens of thousands of members, groups that have been operating for decades.
“So why is Meta defending these scam and paedophile groups?” he said when met at the Madani Deepavali celebration in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday (Oct 31).
Fahmi added that the government has already directed Meta to obtain the necessary licences and warned against delays.
He also refuted Meta’s claim that discussions had not taken place, highlighting meetings held since the beginning of the year, including his visit to Singapore for talks with Meta representatives.
In a separate comment, Fahmi dismissed speculation over plans to tax ChatGPT subscriptions.
He clarified that the government has not discussed any proposal to impose such a tax, either within the Cabinet or in Parliament.
“Any tax would need parliamentary approval, not just Cabinet-level discussion. This was not mentioned in Budget 2025 by the Prime Minister, so for me, it’s not something to entertain,” he said.
