Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil has refuted claims that he directed Google to disable its currency converter widget for the Ringgit.
This denial comes in response to allegations on social media following the search engine’s inaccurate reporting of the Ringgit’s exchange rate against the US dollar, according to Free Malaysia Today.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Fahmi clarified that Google Malaysia took the action after discussions with Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).
He explained that Google is currently conducting tests with a new data provider to ensure the accuracy of the exchange rates before restoring the widget.
Fahmi’s response was prompted by a social media user who sarcastically suggested that his most significant achievement as a minister was ordering Google to disable the currency converter feature.
The issue dates back to March when BNM held discussions with Google after the search engine quoted an exchange rate of RM4.98 to USD1, which didn’t reflect the actual trading rate.
This was the second instance of such misreporting, with the first occurring in February, leading BNM to issue a stern warning to Google.
On 22 March 2024, Fahmi announced that Google had informed him of its decision to temporarily disable certain features, including the currency converter widget, following discussions with BNM to prevent future errors in displaying the Ringgit’s exchange rates.
Fahmi also mentioned that he personally reached out to Google to ensure the issue was addressed.
The Ringgit-USD converter is still usable
While Google claimed to have disabled it, this isn’t completely accurate. It’s true that typing “USD to Ringgit” into Google’s search box won’t display the currency converter widget, but will instead direct you to websites for conversion.
However, if you enter “USD to SGD,” the widget appears, allowing you to select Ringgit from there. It requires an additional step, yet the widget functions as usual.