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Malaysia, Indonesia Muslim Groups Call for Starbucks Boycott

by Associated Press

   JAKARTA, INDONESIA --

   Muslim groups in Malaysia and Indonesia have called for a boycott of
   Starbucks because of the coffee chain's support for LGBT rights.

   Malaysian group Perkasa, which supports a hard-line form of Islam and
   nationalism, this week called on its more than 500,000 members to stay
   away from Starbucks coffee shops. This week and last, leaders of
   Indonesia's second largest mainstream Muslim group, Muhammadiyah, with
   an estimated 29 million members, denounced the chain.
   The groups were apparently reacting to comments made several years ago
   by former CEO Howard Schultz in support of gay rights that drew renewed
   attention amid an increasingly anti-LGBT climate in both of the
   predominantly Muslim countries.
   Perkasa said in a statement that the Malaysian government should revoke
   the trading license given to Starbucks and other companies such as
   Microsoft and Apple that support LGBT rights and same-sex marriage.
   Amini Amir Abdullah, who heads Perkasa's Islamic affairs bureau, said
   Muslims should stay away from Starbucks because its pro-gay rights
   policy is against Islam and Malaysia's constitution.
   Sodomy is illegal in Malaysia and punishable by up to 20 years in
   prison. Homosexuality is not illegal in Indonesia, the world's most
   populous Muslim nation, but a case before the Constitutional Court is
   seeking to criminalize gay sex and sex outside of marriage.
   A boycott Starbucks hashtag was briefly popular on Twitter in Indonesia
   and shares of the company that operates Starbucks in the country fell
   sharply this week. But its stores in the capital Jakarta appeared as
   popular as ever.
   Gavin Bowring, a Malaysia analyst at risk consulting company Eurasia
   Group, said the boycott was unlikely to amount to much but reflected "a
   growing tendency toward conservatism and strict adherence to Islamic
   principles."