KFC Malaysia shutters over 100 restaurants amidst pro-Palestine boycott

QSR Brands is reportedly shuttering 108 KFC outlets in Malaysia temporarily amidst the ongoing pro-Palestine boycott. 

QSR Brands owns and operates the KFC fast-food franchise in Malaysia. It also operates the restaurants in Singapore, Brunei and Cambodia. 

According to the Straits Times, Kelantan was the hardest hit, with nearly 80% or up to 21 branches temporarily shut. 

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This was reportedly followed by 15 outlets in Johor, 11 branches in Selangor, 11 in Kedah, and 10 in Shah-Alam. 

A+M has reached out to QSR Brands for more information. 

KFC, along with few other global brands such as Starbucks and McDonald's have been combatting boycotts due to their perceived link to Israel amidst the ongoing war in Gaza. 

Most recently, McDonald's Malaysia and the Boycott Divestment Sanctions Malaysia (BDS Malaysia) have found themselves in a lawsuit, with the fast-food restaurant chain suing the movement for defamation. 

McDonald's Malaysia first sued the movement earlier this January for false and defamatory statements and for allegedly inciting the public to boycott the fast-food chain.  It claimed that the statements hurt its business and were seeking damages amounting to US$1.31 million. 

In response, BDS thanked McDonald's for making "BDS Malaysia famous" in March this year. It was later reported that McDonald's Malaysia decided to withdraw a brand defamation legal suit against the movement. 

"With the positive outcome of the mediation and clarifications made by BDS in its recent statements, acknowledging that the actions of McDonald’s operator in Israel are wholly independent of McDonald’s Malaysia, we will be withdrawing the legal suit," said McDonald's Malaysia in a statement at the time. 

McDonald's Malaysia added that its stance remains firm in that it does not support or are complicit in any conflicts or wars.

A month later, BDS put out another press statement, to set the record straight on McDonald's withdrawal of the suit. BDS Malaysia said that the press statement issued by Gerbang Alaf, the local McDonald's franchisee, announcing their withdrawal of the suit, was "inaccurate" and "misleading". 

Photo courtesy of KFC Malaysia (Instagram)

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