KUALA LUMPUR – The government will look into the action taken by the Indonesian government to ban e-commerce transactions on the social media platform TikTok before devising appropriate measures in the country, said Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
Fahmi stated that he received complaints from members of the public who were concerned about the action, and that a number of large retailers also raised concerns regarding price competition for products sold via the platform.
“Many Malaysians use the TikTok Shop platform to sell goods, so I will ask the Communications and Multimedia Commission and the ministry to look into the basis of the action taken by the Indonesian government.
“I believe TikTok needs to provide an explanation because one of the reasons why TikTok Shop is banned in Indonesia is because of the issue of predatory pricing, which poses a threat to local entrepreneurs in Indonesia,” he said.
He spoke to reporters at the gotong-royong programme at the Kg Limau People’s Housing Project in Pantai Dalam here today.
In addition, Fahmi said TikTok should also provide an explanation on the issue of personal data protection, which is a concern for the public when they shop on the platform.
“I think all social media platforms will study user behaviour, starting with what we like, what we share, what we buy, and what we watch.
“So there are some issues that the Communications Ministry and MCMC need to look into, especially regarding the aspects of consumerism or personal data protection. Therefore, I will call TikTok soon to discuss (the issues),” said the Lembah Pantai MP.
Fahmi said the discussion is important because the ministry also received complaints from media organisations regarding the use of social media that affected their operations.
“Many companies no longer spend on advertising through the (traditional) media but through social media platforms, so it affects the media, and I am very concerned about this issue,” he added.
On Monday, Indonesia’s Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan said the ban aims to prevent the use of personal data in business interests and create a fair, healthy, and beneficial electronic commerce ecosystem. – October 7, 2023