In Malaysia, McDonald’s is caught up in the consequences of the war between Israel and Gaza. On 5 January 2023, the company’s Malaysian franchisee took a local pro-Palestinian group, Boycott Desinvestment Sanctions, to court. BDS has called on the population of 34 million to boycott Western brands, in particular McDonald’s, KFC and Zara, which it accuses of being “complicit in the atrocities committed by Israel against the Palestinians”.
Citing a “disinformation” campaign, the Malaysian...