Malaysians hit back as McDonald’s franchisee sues over Israel boycott: ‘lost a customer for life’

Malaysian social media users have come out in defence of a consumer movement to boycott McDonald’s and other businesses perceived to be supportive of Israel

One sore point among the public is the lawsuit’s demand of more than US$300,000 from BDS Malaysia to compensate for the termination of McDonald’s staff over the boycott

3-MIN READ3-MIN

A McDonald’s restaurant in Putrajaya, Malaysia in November 2023. McDonald’s is one of the hardest hit by the global boycott over Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 6:50pm, 1 Jan 2024

A lawsuit by a McDonald’s franchisee in Malaysia against a pro-Palestinian boycott movement risks backfiring, after social media users erupted in defence of the consumer embargo of the fast-food chain, in a country where anger is surging at Israel’s unrelenting bombardment of Gaza.

Gerbang Alaf Restaurants, the local licence holder of McDonald’s, filed a suit on December 19 at a Kuala Lumpur court alleging the boycott, divest and sanction movement (BDS Malaysia) had “incited public hatred” against the brand and damaged its business.

The company is seeking US$1.31 million in damages.

The legal move comes after the fast-food chain fell under the cross hairs of a popular consumer boycott in Malaysia, targeting businesses deemed to be supportive of Israel, although many of those – including Gerbang Alaf Restaurants – have insisted they have no links to Israel and in fact back the Palestinian cause.

McDonald’s is one of the hardest hit by the global boycott after a sister business in Israel provided free meals to Israeli soldiers in the days after the October 7 Hamas raid sparked the conflict.

So far, Israel has slaughtered more than 20,000 Palestinians – the majority civilians – while more than 1,100 Israelis died in the bloody Hamas assault.

But the move to sue the Malaysian chapter of the boycott movement has been met with scorn across Malaysia’s vituperative social media in a nation with a long history of backing the Palestinian cause.

“Boycotting companies like these is a personal choice and it is up to that individual consumer,” said Sheryl Ho from the Muda party. “That being said, anyone in their right frame of mind who wasn’t boycotting [McDonald’s] before this, sure would be doing it now.”