Recent boycotts targeting KK Mart franchises as well as Starbucks and McDonald’s, spurred by calls to boycott businesses linked to Israel following the Israel-Palestine conflict after October 7, have led to significant spillover impact. Vigilantes have premeditated arson attacks, harming ground staff, including young working-class Malays, and causing extensive damage to these businesses’ properties. Moreover, the boycott against KK Mart has prompted threats against other establishments, such as ‘99 Speedmart‘ and Kuala Kedah Fresh Mart, dubbed ‘KK Fresh Mart.’
Research & Publication
Extinguishing The Flames of Radicalisation
Malaysia plays a crucial role as a transnational nexus for diverse networks, including those espousing extremist ideologies. Amidst ongoing crises like the Gaza conflict, apprehensions about radicalisation are prevalent. Aizat Shamsuddin, founder & director of INITIATE.MY, has joined BFM to illuminate the complex pathways of radicalisation and the persistent hurdles in rehabilitating radicals towards a more promising trajectory.
Beyond Stereotypes: The Complex Agency of Female Jihadists
Media reports often portray women travelling to Syria and Iraq as 'jihadi brides' or as 'comfort women,' providing sexual services to boost the morale of fighters, sometimes termed 'Jihad al-Nikah' (sexual jihad). These women are seen as offering themselves for sexual comfort to Daesh fighters striving to establish Islamic rule in the Levant. The term 'jihadi brides' specifically denotes women migrating to Syria to marry jihadi fighters. These women are frequently depicted as naive, overly romantic, captivated by the glorified images of heroic fighters, and desiring to bear children to ensure the longevity of the Caliphate. Many are also portrayed as victims lured by unscrupulous men to Iraq and Syria. Within Daesh, women are often referred to as 'mujahirat' or migrants, travelling to the Caliphate to join the war effort.