KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — Coca-Cola Malaysia has reportedly implored the public not to spread misinformation about the company, adding that its beverages are bottled locally and it hires locals to run its operations.
In a statement, the company said it does not take sides in any religious conflicts nor any country involved in it, after calls for the public to boycott their products alleging the company’s support for the Israelis in the recent attacks over the Gaza strip.
“We remain deeply concerned about the ongoing violence in Israel and in Gaza and its severe impact on communities in the region. We’ve heard some individuals calling for a boycott of Coca-Cola on the back of false information and rumours circulating on social media and a lack of understanding of our presence in and commitment to the Middle East.
“Like everyone of good will, we want to see peace in the Middle East and everywhere else.
“We wish to stress that while Coca-Cola is a global brand, all our bottling operations are local. Coca-Cola is made here in Malaysia, for Malaysians, by Malaysians so the very first people to be hurt by boycott calls are our local employees, followed by the thousands of retailers, distributors and suppliers throughout our supply chain in Malaysia who rely upon us for their livelihoods,” it said as reported by Free Malaysia Today.
The global brand said they have operations in over 200 countries including 14 in the Middle East and North African market. It also said they had a long standing agreement with their local bottler Nigerian Bottling Company, which began production for the Palestinian market in 1998 and are one of the largest employers in the country.
The calls to boycott the company in Malaysia is being championed by Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM), a continuation of years-long campaign fuelled by misinformation and disinformation which have in past years also affected global brands such as McDonald’s.
“In Malaysia, our heritage goes back more than 85 years and we have always had and will continue our strong commitment to giving back to the community,” the company added.
