Mickey-Ds sent the following “notis” out to Malaysian customers:
The note basically emphatically reassures Malaysians that money spent with McDonalds won’t go toward Israel’s current regime or any of their wars. Full translation follows below.
NOTICE FROM McDONALD’S MALAYSIA To the honourable People of Malaysia,
As you may already be aware, certain parties have accused McDonald’s of providing assistance to Israel’s regime. We would like to make clear that THOSE ACCUSATIONS ARE ALTOGETHER FALSE. McDonald’s Malaysia has never and will never support any wars conducted anywhere, through sales or profits that are obtained from restaurants — our restaurants.
This is because:
- McDonald’s Malaysia is an organization that was formed under the laws of Malaysia.
- Our management as well as our 8,000 over employees are citizens of Malaysia and various other countries.
- We prepare food and drinks specially for the people of Malaysia and work together with our suppliers who are also Malaysian.
- We pay taxes every year to the Malaysian government.
- We support and carry out various community and welfare programs for the people of Malaysia, especially for children who are less fortunate through our welfare body, Ronald McDonald House Charities Malaysia.
If you have any other concerns, please direct all your questions to justtellus@my.mcd.com or contact our Corporate Communications Office on 03-7843 3233
Yours truly,
AZMIR JAAFAR
Managing Director
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3 Comments
Wow, Bravo Mickey D’s! It’s great to hear that corporations in the third world are nothing like those in the…”first world?”. Fanta, Sears & Robuck, etc.
Yes maybe of all the statement is correct but owning the brand Mc Donald does mean you have to give some of the profits to the real owners of Mc Donalds (eg. in the US.) those profits in return apart be used for Israel.
Of course Mc D Malaysia have no involvement because they just commit to their sales stated above but they didn’t tell you what they do with the apart of the profits given to the real owner of the franchise.
Thank you for your comments.
Let me just say at this point I posted the memo because I found it interesting, not to support or to oppose McDonalds in any way.
The part of what you said that I feel the need to rebut is:
“…owning the brand Mc Donald does mean you have to give some of the profits to the real owners of Mc Donalds (eg. in the US.) those profits in return apart be used for Israel.”
I do find that connection a little remote — between McDonalds and Israel.
Every citizen, including the corporate ones, have little control over what governments do with their tax dollars.
That said, while a stance against America for its GOVERNMENT’s support of Israel makes sense, the damage in banning franchises like McD’s in Malaysia would mainly impact the Malaysian workforce and economy.
Buried in that PR statement was a reminder that McDonalds Malaysia is a local company. McDonalds corp in the States wouldn’t care about the tiny fees our ban would have cost them. The Malaysian who signed that memo does (or rather did).
I find myself in an odd position. I don’t think McDonalds is a really healthy place to get a meal and Israel’s actions fill me with abhorrence. But here I am, arguing vehemently for a side I never thought I would.
With the current state of our economy and the local impact a ban on American products would have on MALAYSIA, I just feel we ought to take a step back and reevaluate if we could find a better way to show our dislike for Israel.
I don’t think a move that hurts us more than them is a smart way of facing any foe.