BOYCOTTING products and services along racial and religious lines is not just impractical, but hypocritical, said a group of prominent Malaysian thinkers.

They warned that such moves will only hurt the people – Muslims included.

“We must support all Malaysian brands and products in order to make our economy stronger,” they said in a joint statement, signed by Tawfik Ismail, Tajuddin Rasdi, Syed Sadiq Albar, Shad Saleem Faruqi, Nurul Haqq Shahrir, Noor Farida Ariffin, Johan Jaafar, Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos, Hussamuddin Yaacub, Wong Chun Wai, Chandra Muzaffar and Anas Zubedy.

The statement follows a call that emerged on social media last week as a campaign to support Muslim-made goods, but has since morphed into a movement against non-Muslim products.

Some Muslim civil groups have voiced support for the call, such as Gerakan Pembela Ummah (Ummah) and the Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association, which launched a similar campaign in April.

After criticism by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, Ummah chairman Aminuddin Yahaya said the campaign is not meant to be racist, as it urges support for products made by Muslims, and does not call for a boycott of non-Muslim goods.

PAS has fully endorsed the campaign, with its former Selangor ulama deputy chief Ahmad Dusuki Abdul Rani the first to express support, followed by secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan.

Dusuki had said boycotting non-Muslim products would earn Muslims “pahala” (divine reward).

The Malaysian thinkers’ joint statement said every item used or consumed – from clothing and food to technology and transportation – has producers, founders and manufacturers comprising various religions, ethnicities, and even nationalities.

“Such is the nature of the globalised economy. So, how can we say with absolute certainty that we are only using or consuming goods made by members of our own race and religion?”

They urged Malaysians to buy locally made products first.

“Many non-Muslim companies have a significant number of Muslim staff. In fact, in many instances, they even form the majority.

“Even when a business is predominantly run by non-Muslims, economic activities form chain reactions that involve each and every community… from the sourcing of raw materials to producing and supplying the product to end customers. This is the fundamental basis of the economy, be it at the national or global level.”

All profit-making firms, regardless of ownership, pay taxes that are then used towards the benefit of Malaysian society as a whole, they added.

“This includes employing and sustaining our civil servants, building our national infrastructure, and enhancing our public services, such as healthcare and education.” – September 4, 2019.