KUALA LUMPUR: Swiss watchmaker Swatch Group has filed a lawsuit against the Malaysian government for confiscating rainbow-coloured watches that celebrate LGBT rights, in an act the company says has damaged its reputation.
Homosexuality is a crime in Muslim-majority Malaysia, and rights groups have warned of growing intolerance in the country towards the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community.
In May, Malaysian authorities confiscated watches from Swatch's 'Pride collection' because of the presence of the letters 'LGBTQ' on the watches, the home minister said.
Home ministry officials "illegally" seized 172 watches from 16 outlets, Swatch said in court documents seen by Reuters. The lawsuit, filed on June 24 at the Kuala Lumpur high court, was first reported on Monday by the Malay Mail, a Malaysian news website.
"Without a doubt, the seized watches did not and are not in any way capable of causing any disruption to public order or morality or any violations of the law," Swatch said in the lawsuit.
The seizure notices served to Swatch described the watches as having elements of or promoting LGBTQ rights and potentially breaching Malaysian law, the company said.
Most of the seized watches, which have a combined retail value of 64,795 ringgit ($14,250.05), did not contain the 'LGBTQ' lettering, Swatch said.
Swatch is seeking damages and the return of the watches, saying its ability to do business in the country has been "greatly jeopardised" following the seizures.
Malaysia's home ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Kuala Lumpur high court is set to hear the case on July 20.
Malaysia has jailed or caned people for homosexuality. Last year, 18 people were detained at a Halloween party attended by members of the LGBT community.
The seizure and lawsuit come ahead of crucial regional polls that will pit Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's progressive coalition against a mostly conservative ethnic-Malay, Muslim alliance.
In the run up to the elections, Anwar has again been accused by critics of not doing enough to protect the rights of Muslims in multi-racial, multi-faith Malaysia.
Anwar was imprisoned for sodomy and corruption for nearly a decade, charges he denied and said were politically motivated.
The premier has repeatedly said this month that his government will uphold principles of Islam, state media reported. He has also said LGBT rights will not be recognised by his administration.
Reuters
Mon Jul 17 2023
Swatch is seeking damages and the return of the watches, saying its ability to do business in Malaysia has been "greatly jeopardised" following the seizures. - REUTERS
Wanita Palestin mengamuk di WTKL mohon maaf, tertekan fikir anak di Gaza
Aminah berkata, perbuatan di luar kawalan itu berlaku disebabkan rasa tertekan memikirkan keadaaan anaknya yang masih berada di Gaza.
Mangsa banjir di Perak terus meningkat, Selangor menurun
Jumlah mangsa banjir yang ditempatkan di PPS di Perak terus meningkat pagi ini manakala jumlah mangsa di Selangor menunjukkan penurunan.
Letupan baharu menggegarkan Beirut
Memetik laporan Associated Press, rejim Zionis turut menyerang kem pelarian Palestin jauh di utara buat kali pertama ketika ia menyasarkan kedua-dua pejuang Hezbollah dan Hamas.
Pelabur makin yakin, Malaysia disaran tingkatkan keperluan RE
Keperluan tenaga boleh baharu (RE) di negara ini semakin meningkat seiring keyakinan pelabur asing khususnya untuk mewujudkan pusat data, kata Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Dua minggu hilang, nasib Orang Asli Zuzina masih misteri
Pelbagai pihak masih mencari wanita orang Asli Zuzina Abine yang hilang selepas keluar rumah sejak 20 September lalu.
Ringgit dijangka berbanding dolar AS minggu depan
Ringgit dijangka kekal pada paras 4.21 hingga 4.22 berbanding dolar AS minggu depan, tetapi dengan kecenderungan meningkat terhadap dolar AS selepas data senarai gaji bukan ladang (NFP) Amerika Syarikat (AS) bagi September meningkat mendadak kepada 254,000 pekerjaan.
[TERKINI] Enam rakyat Malaysia selamat tiba dari Lubnan pagi ini
Kementerian Luar Negeri mengesahkan seramai enam orang rakyat Malaysia daripada sebuah keluarga selamat tiba di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur (KLIA) dari Lubnan pada pagi ini (6 Oktober 2024).
Konvoi motosikal Seru For Gaza, cerminan sokongan sesama saudara
Liputan Wartawan Astro AWANI, Faida Rahim di acara konvoi motosikal Seru For Gaza di Cafe Rosco sebagai cerminan sokongan kepada saudara sesama Islam di Gaza, yang sudah setahun diperangi keganasan Israel.
Kenanga jangka OPR stabil 3.0 peratus pada 2025
Kenanga Investment Bank Bhd menjangka Kadar Dasar Semalaman (OPR) kekal stabil pada 3.0 peratus sepanjang 2025.
88 badan pensijilan halal luar negara dapat pengiktirafan JAKIM
Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) telah memberikan pengiktirafan kepada 88 badan pensijilan halal luar negara setakat Mei tahun ini.