By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, Nov 4: Renewed social media calls to boycott products and companies allegedly linked to Israel in recent weeks fueled by the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has hit some businesses in Kuching and created a dilemma for both workers and residents, some of whom are questioning the practicality of this stance.
A survey by DayakDaily at several popular American fast-food franchises in the city revealed a noticeable impact on sales and reputation due to the boycott.
In one of the outlets which typically sees large weekend crowds for lunch, it was quiet, with only a few young customers around.
The friendly staff in charge of the store shared that this subdued atmosphere has persisted for the past two weeks, attributing it to the ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel, which shows no signs of abating.
According to a national daily report, the call for boycotting Israeli-affiliated products was initially led by the local community in Peninsular Malaysia, with comprehensive lists disseminated on social media.
Well-known brands such as Coca-Cola, Nestle, and IBM were included, despite little or no evidence supporting alleged Zionist connections. Additionally, food and beverage (F&B) franchises like KFC, McDonald’s, and Starbucks were implicated as showing support for Israel.
Yesterday (Nov 3), Palestinian Ambassador to Malaysia Walid Abu Ali praised the actions taken by Malaysians, highlighting their role in raising awareness and taking a firm stand against what he referred to as Zionist oppression. He urged Malaysians to persist in spreading awareness about the conflict, especially through boycotting.
However, some workers within the fast-food and F&B industry have mixed feelings about the boycott, concerned about its potential impact on their livelihoods.
An anonymous staff member from an American fast-food franchise expressed worries about the management’s concerns, indicating a possible need to reduce staff if the number of customers continue to decrease.
“The recent influence of social media on boycotting does not help. Everybody in our establishment are worried for now. We have a ‘family day’ coming up where the management is going to explain to our customers on this issue and hope to regain customer support,” she said when interviewed by DayakDaily.
Another American fast-food franchise, while experiencing better business, still noted a decline in customers and sales, expressing a desire for peace amid the tumultuous situation.
Businesses reliant on products from international brands like Nestle also expressed concerns and hopes for a swift resolution to the conflict.
A manager of a halal cafe in the city’s high street highlighted the impracticality of the boycott, emphasising the extensive use of associated products including Nescafe, Nestum, Milo, Maggie, La Cremeria, Mat Kool, Lactokid, Nankid, Nespray, Omega Plus and Coffemate.
“We cannot just simply drop the most demanded Coca-Cola products, and moreover, our outlets use maybe 80 per cent of these products and also for ingredients daily; so do many other related businesses throughout the city,” she said, highlighting the list of brands under Nestle on her mobile phone.
She also does not foresee it being beneficial for businesses, considering many are still grappling and recovering with the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic and current economic challenges.
“I believe nearly every household in Sarawak uses international products which could have ties with Israel or not. So how on earth do we boycott all of them which seems absurd. We need to move on.
“We and many other Sarawakians and Malaysians deeply sympathise and emphathise with those affected by the ongoing war, but a widespread boycott is not a practically viable solution,” she opined.
While the boycott movement may have some impact on these businesses, it is important to note that the current economic situation, alongside a weakening ringgit and increased costs of goods and services could also be a factor, limiting private consumption as consumers’ spending power is notably reduced. — DayakDaily
