KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Fazley Yaakob, the renowned singer and celebrity chef, has voiced his stance, stating that he sees no compelling reason to terminate his collaboration with an international coffee chain that has been subject to boycott calls in Malaysia due to allegations of having ties with Israel's Zionist regime.
In a news report today, the 45-year-old artist, who has been actively working with Starbucks in Malaysia to recreate local dishes available at the coffee chain's outlets nationwide, emphasised that unless concrete evidence emerges showing direct support for the Zionist regime from Malaysian-owned Starbucks or any other international franchises operated by Malaysian companies, he sees no grounds to cease his collaboration with them.
"These companies here are under Malaysian ownership and management. They have also been known to contribute significantly to aid the Palestinian cause. I understand their mission, and there is no indication of external support," Fazley stated in the report.
As a chef engaged in promoting their products, Fazley expressed his commitment to fulfilling his responsibilities without any bias.
He added that, although he expected potential criticism for his collaboration with Starbucks in the wake of the recent social media-driven "boycott campaign" against certain entities, he had not received any negative feedback from his followers.
"My fans are discerning and can distinguish who or what they should support or boycott."