A Malaysian man sparked national controversy after affixing a Hebrew-language sticker to his pickup truck, prompting a police investigation and a warning from the country’s prime minister.
The sticker read “Malaysia Beytenu,” or “Malaysia Our Home.” Its appearance on a vehicle in Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country with no diplomatic ties to Israel, sparked online backlash and suspicions of Israeli ties. The country has previously accused individuals connected to Israel or Hebrew text of espionage.
Hebrew sticker sparks national outcry in Malaysia
(Video: from TikTok)
The controversy began earlier this month when a TikTok user posted a video showing the pickup driving along a highway. The camera zoomed in on the blue sticker with white Hebrew text, and the uploader commented: “I saw something on the way home from work. The words and language look strange. This is Israeli, right? ChatGPT confirms it too. Is this a provocation? It can’t be a joke.” The video garnered more than 70,000 likes and widespread attention.
Comments on the platform quickly called for an investigation. “Only they (Israelis) use Hebrew. This must be investigated quickly, before it spreads,” one user wrote.
Police soon located the driver, a 59-year-old man who told investigators he was simply an enthusiast of foreign languages. He said he bought the sticker 13 years ago at a store in the state of Selangor. According to his account, the original sticker read “Yisrael Beytenu,” possibly referring to the Israeli political party led by Avigdor Liberman. He claimed to have altered the wording to read “Malaysia Beytenu.”
The man later filed his own police complaint after seeing photos of his vehicle circulating online. Authorities have not announced whether he will face charges, but local media reported that the investigation is examining whether the incident constitutes “causing public alarm.”
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Malaysia Our Home: Hebrew sticker sparks national outcry in Malaysia
(Photo: from TikTok)
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim addressed the controversy this week, condemning both the use of Hebrew-language stickers and the recent display of Israeli flags at a pro-Palestinian protest tied to a Gaza-bound flotilla blocked on the eve of Yom Kippur.
“Displaying the Israeli flag or using Hebrew stickers is unacceptable and goes against Malaysia’s policy,” Anwar said. “There have been several recent incidents involving Hebrew writing or flag-waving. It offends the public and contradicts our bipartisan national stance. Regardless of intent, it is wrong.” He added that local authorities should take action to deter future cases.
Malaysia has a history of incidents involving suspected Israeli intelligence activity. In 2018, Palestinian engineer Fadi al-Batsh, linked to Hamas, was assassinated in Kuala Lumpur. In 2022, local media reported an alleged failed attempt by Mossad agents to abduct another Hamas-affiliated engineer.
More recently, Malaysia has been mentioned as a potential destination for Palestinian prisoners released from Israeli prisons under deportation agreements.