Over 100 Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) stores in Malaysia have temporarily shuttered amidst ongoing boycotts related to the Gaza-Israel conflict.
As of Saturday (27 April), 108 branches in the country have ceased operations, Nanyang Siang Pau reported.
Kelantan was the hardest-hit state, with 21 — or almost 80% — of its outlets closed.
Source: Google Maps
Following closely was Johor, with the temporary suspension of 15 outlets.
Since October 2023, Malaysians have been boycotting brands perceived to have links to Israel, including popular fast food giants such as KFC and McDonald’s, as well as the Starbucks coffee chain.
The wave of boycotts has recently intensified.
During this year’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri period, Free Malaysia Today revealed that KFC customers in the country were labelled “dogs” in several social media posts.
The incidents prompted Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, Minister for Religious Affairs, to urge individuals partaking in such campaigns not to resort to “excessive and extreme” measures.
According to The Star, QSR Brands, which operates KFC outlets in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and Cambodia, confirmed the temporary closures of the KFC outlets.
Closure notices were also seen at some of the affected outlets.
Source: China Press
In a statement, the company explained the economic rationale behind the measure.
It said that employees from affected stores were given opportunities to relocate to operating outlets “as part of a tactical strategy to optimise resources in trade zones with higher customer engagement”.
QSR Brands also highlighted that its priority continues to be offering customers “quality products and services” while ensuring job security for its 18,000 staff in Malaysia.
The company did not confirm the number of affected stores in the country.
Also read: M’sian Man Gets Free Groceries After Neighbour Discards Them To Boycott Israel-Supporting Brands
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Featured image adapted from Aaron Knox on Flickr, for illustration purposes only.
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