Israeli YouTuber's Visit Sparks Backlash and Shutdown of Malaysian Tech Project
Toval Rahmani, an Israeli-American YouTuber, visited Johor, Malaysia, to see his mother, who volunteers in an international tech community project called "Network State." During his 10-day stay, he documented his experience and posted a video online, which triggered a hostile reaction and led to the Malaysian authorities shutting down the project.
Rahmani explained in an interview that he entered Malaysia with an American passport via Singapore and had official permission to film. The "Network State" initiative, founded by Indian-American crypto entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan, aimed to create a global community of tech entrepreneurs and digital nomads based on shared values rather than geography. Participants typically stay for a month or longer, with some residing for over a year.
After Rahmani posted a short clip on Instagram, pro-Palestinian groups in Malaysia, including a page with nearly two million followers, launched a campaign against the presence of Israelis in the project. This online backlash escalated to immigration officials inspecting the participants’ passports. Although no Israelis were found, rumors circulated about some fleeing. Shortly after, the Johor state government revoked the project's operating license. Srinivasan clarified that the license cancellation pertained only to a specific land area and announced plans to open a new campus in Kazakhstan.
Rahmani said he did not anticipate the video would cause such a political crisis. He noted the community had little interaction with locals and he never felt threatened but acknowledged the hostility was greater than expected. He advised Israelis against visiting Malaysia due to threats of deportation.
The controversy unfolded amid Malaysia’s increasingly hardline stance against Israel. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim declared that any Israeli citizen found in Malaysia would be immediately expelled, rejecting U.S. pressure to change this policy. The U.S. State Department sought clarifications from Malaysia after Republican lawmakers accused Kuala Lumpur of antisemitism and called for a review of security cooperation. Israeli officials confirmed Malaysia is deporting Israelis holding dual citizenship, even those transiting through the country. Sources revealed that some Israeli investors were involved in Srinivasan’s project, adding to the political sensitivity.
