KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian arm of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement has clarified that it never called for a boycott against KFC, despite claims associating the fast food chain with Israel.
In a post on its official Instagram account, BDS Malaysia quoted its chairman, Prof Mohd Nazari Ismail, as saying that KFC was never on the non-governmental organisation’s list of companies to boycott.
Drawing comparisons with fellow fast food chain McDonald’s, Nazari said the movement was forced to include McDonald’s Malaysia in its boycott list after the franchise’s branch in Israel handed out food to Israeli forces.
Nazari clarified: “In the past and now, we have never advocated for Malaysians to boycott KFC.”
“Originally, McDonald’s wasn’t listed either, but we felt compelled to include it due to its Israeli branch’s provision of complimentary food to Zionist Israeli soldiers.
“This action sparked global outrage, particularly because it went unopposed by McDonald’s Corp.
“In the past and currently, we have never campaigned for Malaysians to boycott KFC.
“Alhamdulillah, KFC has never done the same thing, and therefore, it should not be included in the boycott list,” he added.
He also said that some consumers who were voicing concerns about KFC and opting not to support the brand were primarily motivated by the prices rather than the ongoing aggression against Palestinians by Israel.
Last month, QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd, the operator of the KFC franchise in Malaysia, confirmed the temporary closure of some of its outlets due to “challenging economic conditions”.
The announcement came after a report by Chinese daily Nanyang Siang Pau alleging that as of April 27, about a year and a half after the boycott movement, over 100 KFC outlets nationwide had suspended operations.
The report, which cited information from Google Maps, claimed that Kelantan was the most affected by the move, with up to 21 outlets said to be temporarily shuttered there. This is followed by 15 outlets in Johor.
KFC staffers had also told Scoop of the frequent harassment – including insults and taunts – they were forced to endure from boycotting groups that intentionally caused disturbances on the chain’s premises.
In December of last year, McDonald’s Malaysia, owned by Gerbang Alaf Restaurants Sdn Bhd, initiated a RM6 million civil defamation suit against BDS Malaysia.
After the suit was dropped on April 18, BDS Malaysia affirmed its commitment to categorise the chain as part of its organic boycott targets and to support the Malaysian public’s call to boycott McDonald’s. – May 26, 2024