McDonald's MY donates to Palestine fund after distancing from Israel branch's 'individual' actions

McDonald’s Malaysia has confirmed that it has made a contribution of RM1 million to the Palestine Humanitarian Fund which was launched by the Prime Minister's department, according to a statement by the fast-food giant that was posted on its official Instagram page. 

The move aligns with the government's "noble initiative", as unveiled by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during the tabling of the 2025 budget in the Dewan Rakyat, it said. 

It added that PM Anwar's proposal to allocate RM10 million to the Palestine Humanitarian Fun resonated "deeply" with its commitment to support those impacted by the current conflict in Gaza. 

By joining hands with the government and contributing to this fund, we hope to bring much-needed relief to Palestinians who are facing extremely difficult times.  

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McDonald's said that its contribution to the Palestine Humanitarian Fund will directly support relief efforts in Gaza, addressing the critical needs of those affected by the conflict. This includes medical aid, food and shelter as well as evacuation assistance if deemed necessary by relief organisations. 

"Our unwavering commitment is focused on supporting the provision of essential aid to those in dire circumstances," said McDonald's. McDonald's added that it is also engaging its employees nationwide in fundraising initiatives to further support relief efforts in Gaza. 

The donation comes days after the company released a statement addressing the fact that McDonald’s Israel donated free meals to Israeli soldiers, causing many online to question if the company was contributing to the destruction caused to those in Gaza. 

In its statement, McDonald's Malaysia clarified that the actions taken by its Israel branch were those of an independent market and that it does not reflect the values or practices of McDonald's Malaysia.

It added that a unilateral decision made by an individual franchisee should not be considered a global action, company policy or an official political stance taken by McDonald's globally. 

"The actions of the McDonald's operator in Iseral serve as an example of such individual actions; they were not global decisions and were not approved by any other local operators," it said. 

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