Swatch watches Malaysian LGBT debate Geroldswil ZH: 13-year-old crashes with stolen scooter and injures himself

What happened?

In Malaysia, a total of eleven stores of the Swiss company Swatch were raided. Watches worth $14,000 were seized. The reason: the Swatch watches violate the moral laws of the country.

The raids were carried out by the Ministry of the Interior on 13 and 14 May. Swatch subsequently announced that all 164 seized watches would be recovered through legal channels.

Why were the watches confiscated?

Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country. However, there is a relatively large Buddhist minority and a plurality of Christians, confined to a few regions. In addition to the laws of the state, the Muslim Malays are also subject to the laws of Islam and can be sentenced to fines and short prison terms in sharia courts that are independent of the state.

Homosexuality is prohibited and punishable not only in the country’s Sharia laws, but also in state laws. Violations are punishable by up to 20 years in prison, but usually there is “only” punishment with a cane and smaller fines.

In seizing the Swatch watches, the Home Office invoked the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984. This article states that all goods that are “contrary to public order, morality or safety” may be seized and their production and sale may be stopped.

The band Coldplay, which will give a concert in Malaysia in November of this year, also caused controversial discussions in Malaysia. Coldplay is openly committed to LGBTQ rights, which many conservative Muslims in Malaysia dislike. A Facebook post linked the colored Swatch watches to the Coldplay concert a few days before the raids.

How did Swatch react?

The Swatch group has announced its intention to reclaim the seized watches. At the same time, the stores were replenished with the same models.

Nick Hayek, CEO of the Swatch Group, stated that the watches did not convey a political message in any way and were certainly not harmful or dangerous with their message of peace and love. He also added that it is customary at Swatch to honor individuals with colorful and fun watches.

Hayek couldn’t resist taking a look at the Malaysian authorities. So he asked how the authorities planned to confiscate the thousands of natural rainbows.

Responses from Malaysia

Authorities responded to the criticism from Switzerland, arguing that the watches are not simply colored in rainbow colors, but that they use specific LGBT colors, as natural rainbows actually contain seven colors and not six like the LGBT flag.

The Malaysian population, on the other hand, seems divided. The conservatives’ argument is that approaching LGBT people is against Islam and against the laws of the country, so the crackdown is justified. The other side denounces the arbitrariness of the law and fears Malaysia’s increasing international isolation.

(ears)