KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 — Pro-Palestine and Muslim groups here will organise a string of flashmobs, demonstrations and boycotts in the month ahead for its nationwide “The Rage of the Faithful” campaign to protest Israel’s aggression in the Gaza conflict.
The campaign, to kick off Sunday, comes despite concerns raised over the few violent rallies held for the same cause recently outside McDonald’s outlets.
“The campaign will be huge and it will express hatred against Israel through street and media campaigns,” Isma wrote on its website today, citing Aman Palestin Berhad chief executive director Awang Sufian Awang Piut.
The campaign, which will be launched at Astaka Taman Tasik Titiwangsa here is initiated by Aman Palestin and involves other Malay-Muslim non-governmental organisations like Isma, Perkasa, National Islamic Youth Association (Pembina) and the Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM).
“The street campaign will be mobilised by all involved NGOs using preparations by Aman Palestin such as flash mobs to boycott Israeli-linked products, embassy protests, nasyid groups and protests at tolls, among others
“The media campaign, on the other hand, will be mobilised through the social media using articles, posters, caricatures, logos, a ‘1 Million support Gaza’ online petition, etc,” Awang Sufian was quoted saying.
A pro-Palestine rally in Dataran Merdeka last Saturday saw calls to boycott all products linked to Israel.
A list of products and companies, including McDonald’s, purportedly with ties to Israel’s ZIonist regime has been circulating in the social media, although many have ended up there based on now-debunked hoaxes and obsolete links.
On Tuesday, violent rallies were held outside two McDonald’s outlets in Kerteh and Dungun, reportedly resulting in about 80 per cent loss of revenue at the two locations since.
A nationwide 24-hour boycott is expected to be held today against McDonald’s to protest against the fast food chain’s alleged links to Israel.
The popular fast food joint has since cried out against the protests, saying the real victims of a boycott of its products would be its mostly Malay-Muslim employees.
In an advertisement on page 11 of Malay language daily Sinar Harian yesterday, the local company was forced to repeat its previous insistence that the firm was not related to “any political activity, violence or oppression”, following accusations it was helping fund Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
“The real victims of these allegations are friends, workers and families who are the subject of discrimination and our franchisees who are working to make a living,” it said.
The fast food chain also pointed out that the company is a source of livelihood for more than 12,000 employees, over 85 per cent of whom are Muslims.
It also said 67 of the restaurants are owned and operated by 27 local franchisees, nearly half of whom are Malay-Muslims.
– See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/malaysian-groups-vow-a-month-of-rallies-to-show-anti-israel-rage#sthash.vV0dXTHp.dpuf