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SHAH ALAM - It is impossible for Malaysians to boycott or sever all ties with Israeli trade as it is an integral part of the supply chain, says Bersatu Armada chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal.
He said this was the reality and complexity of the supply chain.
"For example, if you want to produce devices such as smartphones, we need chips from certain producers.
"It could be from Taiwan but also designed by Israeli companies, so we can't escape it," he told Sinar Daily during an exclusive interview after the Bersatu Armada General Assembly 2023 held at the Ideal Convention Centre (IDCC), here, today.
Wan Ahmad Fayshal acknowledged the difficulty of complete avoidance but suggested that, instead of entirely escaping, it could be reduced through proper planning or decoupling from sources deemed to support Israel.
"In reality, it's challenging due to our high level of integration, but we can make efforts to minimise the impact," he said.
Regarding the emotional impact of the Palestine issue on Muslims, he said there was a need to empower protesters and provide Malaysians with a better understanding of the economy and trade.
"I respect those who choose not to consume McDonald's for health reasons, but to be fair, McDonald's also contributed significantly to corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Sabah and many places all around the world," he said.
He emphasised the importance of rationality, saying that leaders, including the government, opposition and ulama should carefully consider where and how boycotts can play a role.
Commenting further, he said the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement could gain more traction in larger and more established European countries like Spain, Brazil and Norway.