KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said it was up to individuals whether to boycott American products to show their protest against the Israeli offensive in Gaza.

"Let it be an individual choice.

"Some of them feel very strongly about it and while others look at it as a grey area because it is a complex matter and involves local businesses," he told a press conference after opening the Third Islamic Economic Congress at Dewan Merdeka, Putra World Trade Centre, here Monday (12 Jan).

He was commenting on the call to boycott three major American brands, namely Starbucks, Coca-Cola and Colgate by the Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia and other non-governmental organisations on Friday (9 Jan).

Naib said the matter was complex because it involved local businessmen who ran the franchises.

On the report by online news portal the Malaysian Insider that Pas was trying to picture Umno as a racist party, he said: "Umno is not an extreme party because we have always adopted very moderate and very pragmatic policies in this country.

"What is important is to judge Umno on our policies, not on the basis of any statements because statements from individuals do not constitute a policy."

He also described Pas' action as "a real opportunistic play."

On another media report that Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is in Malaysia, Najib said: "Oh really? I don't know that he is here.

"Let me find out if he is really in Malaysia; maybe it is just a speculation; don't say it is bad for Malaysia until we know for sure that he is here." (Bernama)