Malaysian mall under fire after pro-Palestine protesters removed

The operators of the shopping centre at the base of Malaysia’s Petronas Twin Towers faced backlash on Monday after pro-Palestine protesters were forcibly removed by security as they entered the building at the end of a rally.

Malaysia has long taken pride in being Southeast Asia’s most vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause, meaning actions taken against those protesting against Israel’s assault on Gaza can quickly whip up public outrage.

Former member of parliament Chua Tian Chang was manhandled by security staff on Saturday while attempting to come to the aid of a woman who entered the shopping centre with a Palestinian flag on a wooden pole.

The incident was caught on video and went viral. In it, a woman can be heard shouting, “He’s an old man. Give him some respect,” amid chants of “Free, free Palestine” in the background.

The management of Suria KLCC, one of Kuala Lumpur’s premier shopping centres, said the wooden stick posed a safety risk to patrons, denying any political stance behind removing the woman and the flag.

But in a statement on Monday, BDS Malaysia, the local chapter of the global anti-Israeli boycott, divest and sanction movement, described the reaction of the security staff as “disgraceful”, saying it was “understandable in pro-Zionist countries” but not in Malaysia.