25-5-2023 (Kuala Lumpur) Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim has spoken out on the recent seizure of Swatch’s “Pride Series” rainbow watch by officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs. Anwar clarified that the confiscation was not due to the color of the watch, but rather the LGBT elements contained in the watch design that were seen as supportive of gay and transgender groups. He made these remarks in response to questions from reporters after attending a dialogue meeting with Islamic scholars on Thursday.
Anwar stated that he did not have all the details regarding the operation to raid and confiscate the product and that he would allow the Home Office to explain. However, he emphasized that the issue was not the color of the watch, but the presence of LGBT elements on it.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of the Interior raided 11 Swatch stores across the country and confiscated relevant products, including the “Pride Series” rainbow watch. The raid was prompted by reports from some users on social media accusing Swatch and the band Coldplay, who are scheduled to hold a concert in Malaysia, of supporting LGBT issues. The incident has sparked heated discussions in both domestic and foreign media.
Swatch Group CEO Nick Hayek expressed disappointment and concern about the actions of the Ministry of the Interior. He stressed that the “peace and love” message conveyed by this series of watches is harmless to anyone and has sued the regulatory and law enforcement agencies involved in the seizure of the watches. The group has also announced that it will take legal action to recover the confiscated watches.
