KUALA LUMPUR: There is no plan to impose a subscription tax on ChatGPT, says Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
He said no such discussion was made on any proposal to impose such a tax, either within the Cabinet or in Parliament.
“Any form of tax would need parliamentary approval, not just at the Cabinet-level discussion.
“This was not mentioned in the Budget 2025 speech by the Prime Minister.
“So in my opinion, this should not be entertained,” he said when met at the Madani Deepavali Open House celebration here yesterday.
Fahmi was asked to comment on several social media posts claiming that a ChatGPT subscription tax will be imposed from December.
On another matter, Fahmi questioned Meta’s reluctance to take action to combat online crimes, including scams and paedophilia.
He said the government would not compromise on this matter as social media safety issues, especially those involving children and families, have become more widespread.
“Meta has requested more time (to crack down on such groups on social media accounts) but honestly, we cannot grant additional time,” said Fahmi, who is also the unity government spokesman.
“We have received complaints from the public about the existence of paedophile groups on Facebook, numbering in the tens of thousands after operating for years. So, why is Meta defending these scam and paedophile groups?”Fahmi said Meta had been instructed to proceed with the social media licensing initiative, as it aimed to improve oversight and accountability in managing harmful online content.
“Just get on with it,” he added.
Fahmi also refuted claims that discussions had not taken place, saying that meetings have been held since early this year, including during his visit to Singapore for talks with Meta representatives there.
