PARLIAMENT | The government is conducting a number of studies to come up with a new mechanism to tax advertisements on Google and Facebook, said Finance Minister II Johari Abdul Ghani.

“These studies are to determine if there is a need to impose the tax.

“They will determine the use of any possible taxes and their impact,” he said during the closing debate on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s speech in Dewan Rakyat today.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had previously said the proposal to impose the tax would be sent to the cabinet for consideration.

The idea of taxing Google and Facebook advertisements was first mooted at a luncheon Zahid attended with media editors and publication permit holders last week...