McDonald’s restaurants in Malaysia are taking precautionary steps to protect its employees, following an online campaign for a nationwide boycott of the American fast food chain tomorrow.

 

The boycott was called by Palestine sympathisers, who accuse McDonald's of channeling funds to Israel, in the ongoing conflict in Gaza. 

Among others, the delivery personnel are advised not to wear their uniforms tomorrow, so as to not be recognised as McDonald's employees.

 
"We were told by the upper management to wear white T-shirts and dark coloured pants for tomorrow," Rahman Masturi (right) from the Jalan Telawi branch, told Malaysiakini today. 
 
The riders were also directed to remove all logos from the McDonald’s 'Cooktek' bags and their delivery vehicles. 
 
McDonald's will also be taking other measures at their restaurants if protesters, if any, turn violent.

"If they want to hold a gathering or protest in front of the premises, it is okay with us as long as they don’t do any damage to our premises or hurt our staff," said a branch manager who wanted to be known only as Siti.

She added that branch managers were also instructed to close down their outlets if things got violent and to lodge a police report immediately.

Insults on the job

 
McDonald’s workers also expressed their frustration at being blamed for supporting Israel when they are just wage earners.

 

"I have been with the company for over four years, I am pretty sure we have no direct links with funding the forces in Israel," Siti said, explaining that only a small percent of their profits go to the franchisor company based in the United States.

 

The delivery personnel on the other hand, said abuses have been hurled at them while they were going about their work. 
 
"A few friends of mine have been called names and were insulted while delivering, especially while waiting at traffic lights," Rahim shared.

Earlier this week, a rowdy protest was held in front of McDonald's outlet in Dungun. 

Sinar Harian reported that the Kerteh and Dungun outlets saw business plunge by 80 percent as the boycott movement, which sparked soon after the latest Israeli strike on Gaza about a month ago, gained momentum.

Posters urging a day of boycott tomorrow have been circulated online, despite McDonald's repeatedly explaining in newspaper advertisements that it does not support Israel.

Gaza sympathisers are also called to boycott hypermarket chain Tesco this Saturday, but Tesco, too, denies backing Israel.

 
McDonald's has been established in Malaysia for more than 32 years with about 200 branches nationwide. The fast food chain employs about 12,000 workers, of whom 85 percent are Muslim.

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