Pro-Palestine protests in Malaysia spill over to public spaces, Apple Store

With US President due to visit KL in Oct, anger over Gaza may yet boil over

- Muzliza Mustafa

An anti-US protest in front of the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur hotel and the US Embassy in Malaysia on Sept 26. The country has witnessed more than 20 Gaza-related demonstrations in the past two months.

(ST PHOTO: MUZLIZA MUSTAFA)

The glitzy InterContinental Kuala Lumpur hotel in Jalan Ampang in the capital is used to hosting international delegates.

Since Sept 23, it has welcomed the 14th Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference co-hosted by the US Army - an event that drew dozens of pro-Palestine protesters to its doors on Sept 26.

Holding a banner that read “US Troops GTFO”, protesters chanted “Free Palestine” to the beat of a drum as they marched under the midday heat towards the US Embassy.

Pro-Gaza street protests such as the one on Sept 26 are common after Friday prayers, where organisers can easily find a massive and willing audience of Muslim men. But in recent weeks, these demonstrations have spilled over into more public spaces such as shopping malls, petrol stations and US-linked stores.

The shift in mood has been propelled by support for Palestine going mainstream, but also continued frustration over the perceived complicity of some multinationals. With US President Donald Trump due to visit Kuala Lumpur during the Asean summit in October, anger may yet boil over, with a major anti-US rally planned for the event.

“The right to protest is our right, and we do not want Trump here,” said Mr Fedya, one of the demonstrators at the hotel, who declined to give his full name. He stressed that the group was not breaking any laws, as the right to assemble peacefully is embedded in the Federal Constitution.

As emotions run high, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has to navigate between a Muslim-majority population that expects solidarity with Gaza and international partners who want amicable diplomatic conduct.