BOYCOTT, Divestment, Sanctions Malaysia (BDS Malaysia) – the movement that supports and advocates an “organic boycott” against all Israeli interests – must frankly admit that it has to walk a very, very tightrope between its advocacy and ensuring a “peaceful boycott”.
A similar analogy that many peace-loving Malaysians can attest to is that of defiant UMNO Youth chief rallying the blanket boycott of KK Super Mart but behaved innocently when three outlets of the 24-hour convenience store chain were fire-bombed with Molotov cocktails.
It is all common sense that the so-called boycotters come from all walks of lives – from the educated who knows where to draw their boundary lines to the rogue, radical, rebellious and extremists.
In that sense, isn’t it ridiculous for BDS Malaysia to wipe its hands clean by positioning itself as an ‘innocent by-stander’ with regard to recent media reports that the Selangor police have recorded seven cases of fast-food restaurants being defaced with boycott-related graffiti sparked by the genocide of Palestinian civilians in Gaza by Israel?
To a sane mind, it sounds rather humorous if not hypocritical for BDS Malaysia to even “unequivocally condemns these acts of vandalism as misguided, foolish and criminal”.
“The intense emotions caused by the ongoing genocide should be expressed through creative and lawful actions which will advance the Palestinian struggle for freedom and justice,” the movement pointed out in a recent media statement.
“The BDS movement is rooted in principles of justice and human rights to pressure Israel to comply with international law through peaceful and lawful means. Acts of vandalism undermine our cause and distract from our global community’s legitimate and principled efforts.”
One truly wonders how BDS Malaysia can innocently claim that it has no role in below grouse of McDonald’s Malaysia managing director and local operating partner Datuk Azmir Jaafar even though the captain of the industry made no mention of the movement’s role in his recent media statement:
As the managing director and local operating partner of McDonald’s Malaysia, I wish to express my concern over the recent spate of incidents that have impacted our business.
Acts of vandalism targeting our signboards, billboards, and numerous restaurants across the country have escalated in frequency and severity.
These actions cause significant harm and distress to our crew members as well as the surrounding community. While I respect the rights of individuals to express their views, I appeal to everyone to refrain from actions that damage property.
In addition to the vandalism, any acts of aggression towards our crew members and customers are deeply troubling. We are all part of the Malaysian family and such behaviour is hurtful and counterproductive.
The safety of our employees – all of whom are our fellow Malaysians – is our utmost priority. Standing up for the plight of Palestinians in Gaza is important but it should not come at the expense of harming fellow Malaysians.
As a fellow Muslim, I share the pain and despair over what is happening in Gaza. I stand in solidarity with my Muslim brethren in Gaza and around the world. We all feel a moral obligation to help within our means.
As a 100% Muslim-owned business in Malaysia, our commitment to humanitarian causes is unwavering. We have consistently voiced our support for the victims in Palestine and have donated RM1 mil to the Palestinian Humanitarian Fund.
Additionally, our employees have collectively raised more than RM100,000 in donations to further aid those affected. We do what we can and I encourage everyone to do the same.
I urge all Malaysians to express their views responsibly. Vandalism and aggression do not foster constructive dialogue or resolution, they only contribute to a more dire situation. Let’s work together towards solutions based on our shared values. – Focus Malaysia
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