Grab Issues Clarification After Co-Founder's Wife Shares Personal IG Story
The ride-hailing and food-delivery app said it does not "support any form of violence".
By Sadho Ram — 03 Nov 2023, 10:05 PM — Updated about 1 year ago
Grab Malaysia has issued a statement today, 3 November, to emphasise that the company is "on the side of humanity" amid calls for a boycott
Calls for the boycott emerged after screenshots of Instagram Stories posted by Chloe Tong, the wife of Grab co-founder Anthony Tan, went viral.
In her IG Stories, Tong shared how she "fell completely in love with Israel" and that her heart was broken.
According to the Singaporean, even her seven-year-old son shared her sentiment.
Tan is one of the two co-founders of the ride-hailing and food-delivery app.
It is not clear exactly when Chloe uploaded the IG Stories, but the screenshots started circulating on X earlier Friday. Both husband and wife have since made their Instagram accounts private.
In its statement, Grab shared a clarification from Tong, who was not named but only referred to as "the individual".
She said the IG Stories were posted weeks ago, and that the screenshots were "taken out of context".
"Regarding the social media post that has been circulating, the individual has since clarified it was posted on a personal platform weeks ago and taken out of context," read the statement by Grab.
"Screenshots of my previous Instagram Stories from weeks ago are suddenly resurfacing — and maliciously taken out of context and shared to stir more hatred," read the clarification from the unnamed individual.
"My Insta-Stories were done before I understood all that is happening with Israel and Gaza. Like the rest of humanity, I hope for a ceasefire and peace. I am simply saddened and feel very helpless for all the innocent lives lost."
The ride-hailing and food-delivery app stated that it does not "support any form of violence" and stood "on the side of humanity"
"We do not support any form of violence and as a participant of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), we are aligned with its principles, and respect the protection of human rights," it said.
