REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Boycotts of affiliated or pro-Israel products in Indonesia are beginning to have an impact. A number of businessmen have voiced their concerns to clerics and the government. The issuance of the Indonesian Ulema Assembly (MUI) Fatwa No. 83 of 2023 on the Law to Support the Palestinian Struggle inevitably makes businessmen break out in a cold sweat.

Abroad, a number of outlets owned by multinational companies deemed pro-Israel are already reaping the rewards. Starbucks coffee shops and H&M retail stores in Morocco are declared bankrupt and will close by the end of 2023. McDonald's ready-to-eat franchise restaurants in almost all Middle Eastern countries are suddenly deserted of diners.

Shares of the pro-Israel company's parent on the WallStreet stock exchange, the United States (USA), were also rocking. What about in Indonesia? “The flame of the boycott against the products of companies associated with the Zionist state of Israel must remain guarded,” said MUI member Ikhsan Abdullah when confirmed in Jakarta as quoted Wednesday (20/12/2023).

“At the same time, we must also be able to leverage this momentum to encourage products that are one hundred percent owned by Indonesian companies to rise and succeed,” said Ikhsan, Executive Director of Indonesia Halal Watch.

According to Ikhsan, at present it can be seen how far the MUI Fatwa is obeyed by the people. “With the boycott, we first get input that people obey the MUI fatwa. We can see, they are abandoning global products suspected of favoring Israel and switching to products made by Indonesian companies entirely,” he said.

“If they abandon certain brand products, now they (consumers) have switched to a brand that is completely made by Indonesian industry that is equivalent in quality,” Ikhsan said.

He explained that native Indonesian companies can certainly capitalize on this momentum by acting quickly in anticipation of shifting consumer choices. So far it can be seen, he said, that people who have switched to products made by Indonesian companies completely turned out to be able to adapt.

“The proof is for those who have moved to other products, such as drinking water and food products, since the boycott took effect, everything is going well,” Ikhsan said.

Nevertheless, Ikhsan insists that the MUI fatwa only advocates its stance, because MUI will not be able to bring up a list of names of products related to Israel that Indonesians need to avoid.

“At least we should be informed that the side benefit of the boycott is that there is an increase in the products of national companies. For example, cosmetics, food and drinks, which are used daily. You can see, any national product is increasing as the impact of the boycott,” Ikhsan said.