McDonald's withdraws defamation suit against BDS Malaysia

PETALING JAYA: McDonald's Malaysia has withdrawn its legal suit against Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Malaysia after the movement acknowledged that the operator here is wholly independent and not linked to the one in Israel.

"Our stance remains firm as we do not support nor are we complicit in any conflicts or wars having operated for more than four decades in Malaysia," said McDonald's Malaysia managing director Datuk Azmir Jaafar in a statement on Friday (March 22).

The company said being a 100% Muslim-owned business, it was proud to be a member of the local community, unwavering in its commitment to transparency, ethical business practices and social responsibility towards Malaysians.

"Our hearts go out to the innocent victims in Gaza who are caught in the conflict where we condemn all forms of violence and pray for an end to the war and continued peace," said Azmir.

He added that McDonald's Malaysia would continue to support Palestinians impacted by the violence through its contributions to the Palestine Humanitarian Fund and various employee fundraising initiatives to further support relief efforts in Gaza.

"We hope that the decision made today will allow all parties to move forward and focus on finding a resolution that upholds justice," added Azmir.