Tesla Faces Boycott Calls in Malaysia Amid Political Backlash

Tesla is facing growing boycott calls in Malaysia, fueled by CEO Elon Musk’s perceived support for U.S. President Donald Trump, reports South China Morning Post (SCMP).

Trump recently proposed a controversial plan for Gaza that could displace millions of Palestinians, sparking international outrage.

The backlash intensified following Tesla’s launch of its latest Model Y “Juniper” earlier this week. Malaysians took to social media, branding the new release a “swasticar” — a term that gained traction in Europe after Musk’s hand gesture during Trump’s inauguration was seen by many as resembling a Nazi salute.

“Not touching this swasticar,” commented Adnan Abdullah on a Facebook post by a local car review site.

Musk denied any such connotations, dismissing his critics on X by calling the comparisons to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler “sooo tired” and suggesting they “need better dirty tricks.”

The controversy spread to London, where activists pasted stickers reading “Don’t buy a swasticar” on hundreds of Teslas. Funds raised from the campaign reportedly went to antifascist causes, according to Newsweek.

In Malaysia, the Tesla backlash intensified after Trump’s Feb 4 announcement of a plan to potentially seize Gaza and transform it into the “Riviera of the Middle East,” with displaced Palestinians relocated to countries like Egypt and Jordan.

Malaysia, a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause for decades, reacted strongly. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the region’s leading voice against Israel’s war on Gaza, condemned the plan. Social media users followed suit, flooding platforms with criticism of Musk and Tesla.

Some Facebook comments SCMP highlighted were, “Will never support a company that planned to displace Palestinians from Gaza. Vote with our money,” by YH Chin and “The new Nazi car. Racists and Betas will love it,” by Prabha Krishnan.

Additionally some drew parallels between Tesla’s ties to Trump and historical links between German automakers and the Nazis during World War II.

The controversy could impact Tesla’s business in Malaysia, where the company faces stiff competition from Chinese EV makers like BYD and Xpeng. One local Tesla owner, who requested anonymity due to safety concerns, highlighted potential vandalism risks for Malaysian Tesla owners.

“I think Tesla and Musk are intertwined, and the fact that Musk is spending a lot of time and energy doing non-Tesla things isn’t good for Tesla,” the owner said.

A boycott could also hinder Malaysia’s goal of transitioning 70% of private vehicles to EVs by 2050. However, some believe the gap would be filled by brands like BYD, Xpeng, Proton, and soon Perodua.

Tesla officially entered the Malaysian market in July 2023 with the opening of a showroom and customer experience center—its first in Southeast Asia. The launch came as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand vied for Musk’s attention to host Tesla’s first regional assembly plant.

Adding to the tension, Trump declared that displaced Palestinians would have no right to return, claiming they would have “much better housing” elsewhere. Musk, a major donor to Trump’s re-election campaign, has since emerged as a key adviser to the president.

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