Malaysia to Deport Any Israeli at Forest City Network School
Get the Geopolitics newsletter
Daily geopolitics — wars, elections, sanctions, the diplomatic moves that move markets. Free.
- PM Anwar Ibrahim said on July 15 that any Israeli nationals confirmed as participants in the Network School "digital nomad" community at Johor's Forest City will be deported immediately, stressing that Malaysia does not recognise Israel.
- Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi urged the Home Ministry and relevant agencies to investigate Network School after allegations surfaced that Israeli nationals were among the program's participants.
- The Johor-led investigation will examine participants' identities and nationalities, travel documents, alleged use of second passports, types of entry passes used, stated purpose of entry, and whether actual activities matched the reasons given for entering Malaysia.
- Higher Education Ministry, Digital Ministry and relevant regulatory agencies have been asked to determine Network School's actual operational status and whether its programmes required registration or approval under Malaysian law.
- Johor state government said it will not allow any party to use the state as a base to spread ideologies or movements against the law, sovereignty, and interests of Johor and Malaysia, and will continue acting in accordance with the law.
Why it matters: Forest City's Network School now faces a direct regulatory threat: Malaysia's non-recognition of Israel means any confirmed Israeli participant faces automatic deportation rather than a discretionary removal. Johor's probe also targets travel documents, alleged second passports, and entry-pass types — extending compliance exposure from a single nationality to the entire foreign-participant pipeline at the digital nomad community.
