Anwar Ibrahim Orders Immediate Deportation of Israeli Nationals

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that Malaysia will immediately deport any Israeli nationals found within the country, citing national policy and the fact that Malaysia does not recognize the State of Israel. The directive followed allegations that Israeli citizens used dual citizenship documents to enter Malaysia and participate in the Network School, a private residential community for startup founders and digital nomads located in Forest City, Johor.

The Network School was established by former Coinbase executive Balaji Srinivasan. Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi urged federal authorities to investigate the school's operations and the identities of its participants to ensure national sovereignty was upheld. Ibrahim asserted that the government would not compromise on national security or its political position regarding Israel.

In response, the Immigration Department of Malaysia launched an investigation and raided the Forest City compound, screening 266 foreign nationals from 40 different countries. Datuk Zakaria Shaaban, head of the department, reported that preliminary checks found all inspected individuals possessed valid immigration documents and no evidence had yet verified the presence of Israelis in the program. Despite these initial findings, broader inquiries into the community's business operations, licenses, and land use remain ongoing.