KFC is among a number of Western brands in Malaysia, where more than 60 percent of the population is Muslim, that have been subject to boycott calls over their perceived links to Israel.

“Contributing positively to the Malaysian community, preserving the brand love for KFC and protecting employees of the brand are all priority to the organisation. Employees from affected outlets were offered the opportunity to relocate to busier operating stores as part of the company’s re-optimisation efforts,” the company said in a statement on Monday.

In February, McDonald’s cited boycott campaigns in the Middle East, Indonesia and Malaysia for sales growing just 0.7 percent during the fourth quarter of 2023, compared with a 16.5 percent growth the previous year.