On Friday, Malaysian police said they arrested two local men over suspicions of hacking the digital menu screen of a fast-food outlet on Tuesday. Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan said the police received a report from the outlet manager saying food products had been changed to show blood, bombs, bullets and the words “Proud Sponsors of Israeli Terrorism”.

Some Malaysians are also boycotting coffee house chain Starbucks. They said the American-based chain sued its labour union in the US state of Iowa over a union social media account stating support for Palestinians, pointing to an Associated Press report dated Oct 19.

A barista at a Starbucks outlet in Malaysia who declined to be named said: “Before this boycott, we could get RM30,000 a day (in sales), but now we are lucky to get RM10,000.”

Food and beverage giant Nestle is also one of the names on the list of brands to boycott. According to news reports, it has plants in Israel.

Nestle (Malaysia), which produces food products such as Milo, Nescafe, Maggi and KitKat, said on Thursday in an e-mail response to queries from The Straits Times that its products are made in Malaysia by Malaysians.

“As a global company, we foster mutual respect and tolerance across cultures, religions and nationalities. We are deeply saddened by the current humanitarian crisis in Palestine,” it said.

“We firmly oppose all forms of violence and hope that peace will be restored soon.”

Mrs Amanda Sanusi, a 45-year-old Muslim teacher in Kuala Lumpur, said: “I boycott McDonald’s, Starbucks, Burger King, any brand that has outright declared it supports Israel.

“My children are also boycotting and will update me on any new information on brands that support Israel.”

Responding to reports of the boycott by Malaysians, Palestinian Ambassador to Malaysia Walid Abu Ali told reporters on Friday: “Any measures supporting Palestine and its people are deeply valued. The boycott of Israeli products and franchises supporting Israel serves to minimise the suffering of Palestinians.”

But some have cautioned that the boycott call could have a negative impact on the Malaysian economy, such as a rise in unemployment.

Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Jeffrey Kitingan warned on Oct 29 that there were signs of division among Malaysians in response to Datuk Seri Anwar’s support of the Palestinian cause.

Datuk Seri Kitingan said Malaysia may have harmed its reputation and international relations with the West and was in danger of losing trade relations.

Mr Anwar on Tuesday condemned in Parliament the “relentless, indiscriminate onslaught of Israeli aggression”.

The Premier said he would continue to express the country’s position on the matter.

While he did not take a stance on the boycott calls, he said: “We are a trading nation actively engaged in regional and international commercial and economic activities, proactively reaching out for foreign direct investments to drive our economic advancement. So Malaysia is deeply and profoundly tied to what happens everywhere in the world.”