The Deputy Minister of Communications and Multimedia, Zahidi Zainul Abidin yesterday stated that the government is planning to implement service charge on consumers that made online purchases. However, the statement has since been refuted by his own ministry.
In a brief media release that was published on its Facebook page and Twitter account, the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia (KKMM) claimed that it has no plan to implement such fee on consumers. The media release didn’t provide any explanation regarding the statement made by Zahidi though.
[𝐒𝐈𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐍 𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐀]
Kementerian Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia Tiada Cadangan Untuk Kenakan Bayaran Perkhidmatan Bagi Pembelian Dalam Talian
9 September 2020#KomunikasiKita#KKMM#MalaysiaPrihatin pic.twitter.com/0raFYbRto3
— Kementerian Komunikasi (@komunikasi_gov) September 9, 2020
Zahidi originally stated that the government is looking to impose the service charge at a rate of 0.02%. The money will be used to improve the country’s cybersecurity infrastructure although the idea is still at the planning stage.
Judging from the latest release by KKMM, it looks like the Deputy Minister has been thrown under the bus for the second time in just one day. The first such hit took place earlier today when the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Khairy Jamaluddin revealed that Zahidi’s recent controversial remarks regarding Vevonah Mosibin have been frowned upon by the Malaysian cabinet who has also deemed them as off the point.
Jemaah Menteri pagi tadi telah bincang isu #Veveonah. Kabinet ambil maklum kenyataan dua Timbalan Menteri tidak betul & tidak wajar. Kabinet setuju isu sebanar adalah capaian internet & kemudahan asas lain khusus di pedalaman. Kerajaan akan usaha sebaik mungkin untuk perbaiki.
— Khairy Jamaluddin 🇲🇾🌺 (@Khairykj) September 9, 2020
That being said, it remains to be seen whether his recent missteps are going to cost his political career and role at KKMM dearly or be swiped under the rug as mere “mistakes”.
(Main image: Anna Shvets via Pexels.)
