Many Malaysians have been boycotting international businesses like Starbucks and McDonald’s to voice their outrage towards these businesses supporting Israel in the ongoing Palestine-Israel war. However, did the boycott result in the first closure of a McDonald’s outlet in Malaysia?
Twitter user YBKesatuan recently shared an image of a McDonald’s outlet that seemed to have shut down operations. The tweet alleged that the fast food chain branch in Giant Hypermarket at Shah Alam Section 13 closed after suffering losses due to the ongoing boycott, adding that “it’s a win” for those going against the company. However, the tweet garnered mixed reactions to the supposed closure of the McDonald’s outlet.
Those supporting the boycott were content with the closure, saying this is a sign that the boycott is working. Many urged supporters to continue pressuring the company, hoping it could ultimately lead to the brand retracting its support for the Israeli government. Many also hoped to see more McDonald’s Malaysia outlets close, saying they would continue to boycott the company for that to happen.
However, the positive response to the closure also had a fair share of criticisms. Many netizens argued that the tweet was in poor taste, as it seemed to disregard the McDonald’s employees who lost their jobs. Many voiced their sympathy towards the employees, adding that they were more affected by the boycott than the company. On the other hand, many netizens were also sceptical about the closure, questioning whether the outlet ceased its operations because of the boycott.
Unfortunately, we cannot confirm whether the McDonald’s branch was shut down due to the boycott as there could be other reasons like contract expiry or renovation – but what do you think about this? Do you consider this a win? Or are the employees the ones losing the most?
Source: Twitter
