It was reported that outspoken Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal and Tian Chua, the spokesman for Palestine Solidarity Secretariat (SSP) had led a protest in front of Anthony Loke's Ministry of Transport office in Putrajaya; it was to hand over a memorandum protesting the sale of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) shares to Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), owned by New York City-based investment firm BlackRock.
Apparently, they are opposing the move as it involves BlackRock, reportedly the world’s biggest asset manager with huge investments directly in Israel as well as in companies such as Lockheed Martin and Boeing - firms that are said to manufacture weapons and vehicles that are used in Israel’s war against the Palestinians.
However, strangely, back in 2021 it was reported that the Perikatan Nasional-led government under Muhyiddin Yassin (when Wan Fayhsal was a deputy minister!) had actually launched an EPF-backed US$600 million shariah private equity fund - and guess which firm was one of those entrusted with managing the funds? Yes, it was the same US investment company with Jewish links, BlackRock! (Read here)
Undoubtedly, this would have surely prompted many to ask: if using the firm back then was fine, why pressure the present government to “boycott” it now? Is it really to show solidarity with the suffering Palestinians… or is it to derail the country’s economy for political reasons?
Coincidentally, it was reported that “boycott” was also the gist of the sermon delivered by mosques in Perak last Friday (May 24) which stressed that boycotting certain businesses contradicts the principles of Islamic justice and does not align with the (sunnah) practices of Prophet Muhammad.
Interestingly, according to the sermon text, such actions can actually lead to injustice when they become sensationalised which would result in inciting negative sentiments, hatred and anger among the rakyat.
It further emphasised that it was essential to understand that in life Muslims and non-Muslims are interdependent, and thus any injustice or harm inflicted on one party would effectively affect the other party.
For the record, the boycott movement in this country was sparked by the deadly Hamas-Israeli war that broke out in October 2023. However, what was seen in the beginning as a reasonable response has since appeared to have become a frenzied “free-for-all” that has resulted in harassment, threats and even the hurling of petrol bombs!
"Have those with political agenda 'weaponized' the boycott movement?"
At first, the targets were popular foreign businesses such as Starbucks and McDonald’s which were “punished” for their alleged links to the Jewish state - never mind if the ones who suffered from the action were mainly locals from the B40 segment.
However, after the infamous “Allah-socks” controversy, which literally caught everyone with their pants down, not only were “foreign” entities the target but local ones too, with KK Super Mart becoming the first to be at the receiving end of the boycotters’ fury.
But by targeting the non-Muslim-owned convenience store chain, it then became an all-out “religious war” - seemingly nothing to do anymore with the evil Zionists or the suffering women and children in Gaza. More alarmingly, it had become a dangerous weapon in the hands of over-zealous politicians bent on exploiting the racial and religious sentiments in the country.
Coming back to the sermon in Perak last Friday, the message was clear that boycotting businesses can be disastrous to the country’s economy, as it will involve companies that pay zakat (tithe) and tax. It can also lead to people, especially Muslims to lose their livelihood.
It added that “boycotting” will also severely hamper the country's efforts to attract investors and threaten its position as a trading nation and investment destination.
However, though the sermon seemed to call on people to be wise, restrained and pragmatic, many netizens appeared to be unmoved, with some openly defiant, as they vowed to carry on with the boycott.
But what is mind-boggling is when people who constantly harp on the "poor" state of the country’s economy and the dearth of foreign investments are also the same ones at the forefront of protests against certain foreign investors. What's more, they appear to shamelessly play on the same boycott narrative that the country should not deal with anyone who has "links with Israel" - never mind if the nation's economy crashes.
Doesn't it register in their minds that in the complex global economic structure, all countries are linked to each other in one way or another? After all, several Arab and Muslim nations also have some links with Israel, but does that mean they don't support the oppressed Palestinians?
Moreover, don’t these politicians know where to draw the line between matters of principle and their country’s economic survival? And finally, why is it ok if they have dealt with Israel-linked companies in the past - but it's wrong if others do the same now?
Information Source: Malay Mail, FMT and NST
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