马来西亚当局因发现以色列籍人士在场，于7月下旬关闭了位于Forest City的数字游民社区Network School [1]。该社区由美国科技企业家Balaji Srinivasan创办，自2024年10月成立以来，以月费1500美元提供酒店式居住环境 [1]。外交部长莫哈末哈桑表示，当局发现一名美以双重国籍人士持美国护照进入马来西亚，其后发现其也持有以色列国籍，随后要求其离开 [1]。有关当局撤销了Network School的营业执照 [1]。
这一事件引发了国际外交风波。马来西亚总理阿末阿卜杜拉威胁"立即驱逐任何在Network School发现的以色列人" [1]。美国国会议员则威胁如果政策不改变将削减对马来西亚的军事培训资金 [1]。Srinivasan随后宣布将在哈萨克斯坦开设新校区 [1]。根据Srinivasan的声明，Network School为马来西亚经济投资超1亿马来西亚林吉特（3400万美元），并雇用数十名马来西亚员工 [1]。
Forest City是中国房地产开发商碧桂园开发的1000亿美元项目，于2023年被指定为特区 [1]。马来西亚不与以色列有外交关系，一般不允许以色列护照持有人入境 [1]。
Malaysian authorities closed Network School, a digital nomad community located in Forest City, in late July after investigators discovered an Israeli national on the premises [1]. The facility, established in October 2024 by American tech entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan, offered hotel-style accommodation to remote workers at a monthly cost of $1,500 [1].
The closure triggered significant diplomatic tensions. Malaysia's Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi declared he would "immediately expel any Israeli found at Network School," while Foreign Minister Mohamad Hassan revealed that authorities had discovered a dual American-Israeli citizen who entered Malaysia on a U.S. passport but was later found to hold Israeli citizenship, prompting officials to demand the individual's departure [1]. The Iskandar Puteri City Council revoked Network School's operating license [1]. The incident drew attention from the U.S. Congress, with American lawmakers threatening to reduce military training funding if Malaysia's policies did not change [1].
Srinivasan claimed the venture had invested over 100 million Malaysian ringgit ($34 million) into Malaysia's economy and employed dozens of Malaysian staff [1]. In response to the shutdown, he announced plans to establish a new campus in Kazakhstan [1]. Forest City, the development zone hosting the shuttered community, is a $100 billion project developed by Chinese real estate firm Country Garden and was designated a special economic zone in 2023 [1]. Malaysia maintains no diplomatic relations with Israel and typically does not permit Israeli passport holders to enter the country [1].