Malaysians call to boycott Grab after CEO’s wife seen to be sympathetic to Israel

The horrific Israel-Gaza war has already seen needless bloodshed in the strip and shows no signs of ending anytime soon. But the conflict has also had an effect on this side of the world, as Grab has stoked its own controversy in a country whose stance in the war is irrefutable.

Why the boycott?

Malaysians have begun uninstalling and calling for a boycott on the super app it after the Instagram Stories of the wife of Grab CEO Anthony Tan went viral on social media. In them, Chloe Tong said she “fell completely in love with Israel” after visiting the country twice this year and was “praying.” She also shared that the couple’s son wanted to talk about the trip during his presentation exam.

The posts were seen as being sympathetic to Israel and has caused widespread condemnation among many Malaysians who support Palestine in the conflict.

Grab’s response

In response, Grab shared a clarification from Tong—which the company simply called “the individual”—claiming that she posted the aforementioned Stories “weeks ago” before “I understood all that is happening between Israel and Gaza.”

Grab’s neutrally-worded statement also said that it “stands on the side of humanity and hopes for peace and a ceasefire,” adding that it “does not support any form of violence.” It also stated that “as a participant of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), we are aligned with its principles, and respect the protection of human rights.” Crucially, it did not provide support to either party embroiled in the ongoing war.

The statement has only served to enrage partisan netizens. Among them, X user @IzzraifHarz said that “giving a neutral statement is worse than not giving a statement at all.”

Who else is being boycotted?

Grab is only the latest corporate entity caught in the crossfire. Boycotts have also affected the Malaysian franchisees of McDonald’s and Starbucks over the global chains’ alleged allegiances with Israel—bolstered by Palestinian Ambassador to Malaysia Walid Abuali expressing his gratitude for the effort.

For its part, McDonald’s Malaysia—which came under fire after McDonald’s Israel expressed support for the war on social media—issued a statement distancing itself from its counterpart, saying that it has been fully Muslim-owned since it was bought over by Saudi Arabia’s Lionhorn group in 2017. It also stated that it has paid more than RM12 million in Zakat to all 14 states since then and has recently donated RM1 million to the government’s Palestine Humanitarian Fund.

The price of unwittingly stoking sensitivities

The issue highlights the sensitive nature of the topic of the wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict—particularly within the Malaysian context—and raises questions about the role of social media in amplifying the deep divisions in the country.

Yes, the posts shared by Tong (who is also the daughter of The Edge Communications owner and major Star Media Group shareholder Tong Kooi Ong) were a private expression of her personal views. It is also true that they were taken out of context, given that they were likely shared in the wake of Hamas’ initial attack on Israel—at least if her claims of them being posted weeks ago are correct.

However, as the wife of a CEO whose product is almost universally used locally—and the daughter of a Malaysian media mogul, no less—her words have taken on a greater significance in a country that has professed unwavering support to Palestine. They are being seen as insensitive in the current climate and, regardless of their original context, have sparked a heated debate about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Malaysia.

The controversy has also exposed the challenges that multinational companies like Grab face in operating in such a diverse and multicultural society. It’s clear that Grab is trying not to alienate both its enormous customer base in Malaysia and its investors who may or may not side with Israel in the conflict. And by making the statement it did, it has offended at least one of those entities.

It remains to be seen how Grab will respond to this controversy in the long term. But one thing is clear—the company is facing a difficult balancing act ahead.