Malaysian authorities raided the Network School tech community in Johor after allegations that Israeli citizens entered using foreign passports to bypass the country's entry ban, according to reports from The Star and CNA. The founder froze a planned $122 million expansion. Eight US Democratic congressmen sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanding a review of ties, while Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim defended the deportation policy, citing opposition to 'the occupation.'
The Malaysian government's raid on the Network School tech community in Johor's Forest City special economic zone has frozen a planned $122 million expansion. The operation, ordered by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, targeted allegations that Israeli citizens were using foreign passports to bypass Malaysia's blanket entry ban. According to CNA, all 256 foreigners inspected had valid documentation, yet the government proceeded with a policy of locating and deporting any Israeli citizens found. The initiative's founder, American investor Balaji Srinivasan, announced the freeze on the RM500 million expansion, threatening to relocate the capital.
The development follows a rapid escalation in Malaysia's anti-Israel policy over the past ten days. As The Zioneer reported on Thursday, July 16, at 18:21 Jerusalem, PM Anwar vowed to deport any Israeli found in the country. The following day, Friday, July 17, at 15:04 Jerusalem, Malaysia threatened to expel Israelis from the tech hub, prompting a freeze on a $117 million expansion. On Sunday, July 19, at 17:43 Jerusalem, the prime minister ordered the immediate expulsion of all Israeli citizens from Malaysia. Today, Sunday, July 26, at 18:09 Jerusalem, eight Democratic US House members, led by Reps. Greg Landsman and Josh Gottheimer, sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanding a review of ties with Kuala Lumpur, calling the policy "antisemitic." PM Anwar rejected the pressure, citing opposition to "the occupation."
The controversy began after pro-Palestinian groups alleged dual-nationality Israelis were entering the Network School. A report cited by Free Malaysia Today and attributed to an Israeli intelligence assessment claims that Hamas members previously trained in Malaysia, though the report has not been independently verified. The freeze on the tech expansion threatens to undermine Malaysia's ambitions to become a regional hub for digital nomads and foreign investment, as The Zioneer reported on Friday.
What remains open includes the status of any Israeli citizens still in Malaysia and the veracity of the unconfirmed report about Hamas training. The future of the Network School's expansion hinges on the government's next steps.
3 developments
- DevelopingMalaysia Threatens to Deport Israelis from Tech Hub, Freezes $117 Million Expansion
- DevelopingMalaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim vows to deport any Israeli found in the country
- DevelopingMalaysian PM orders immediate expulsion of all Israelis from the country
- StrongDemocratic senators demand probe into alleged secret $500M UAE crypto investment linked to Trump family
Source and signal
- Open-source intake