The confiscation of the Swatch timepieces from the brand’s retail outlets cross Malaysia last May now escalates to an outright ban on all Swatch merchandise, accessories, communication material, and packaging that sport LGBTQ+ colours and symbols. Strictly no personal possession of the watches too

The Swatch Pride collection at the Swatch store, ION Orchard

Some controversies just don’t fizzle out. Following the confiscation of the Swatch ‘Pride’ collection last May, and the “judicial review” the Swiss brand had sought with the Malaysian high court a month later to recover the timepieces seized, Putrajaya—the seat of the federal government—has, of today, “banned all Swatch products containing LGBTQ+ elements including watches, boxes, wrappers and all other relevant materials,” according to The Star. But the ban is not restricted to just retailers. The report (and others that are emerging) also stated that consumers are forbidden from possessing any of the said products, including the corresponding packaging and its contents. Those individuals who fail to comply, and are caught and convicted, could face a jail term of up to three years or a fine of RM20,000 (about S$5,900), or, if those two punishments are not deterrent enough, both.

The ban, as spelled out in a statement issued by the Malaysian Home Ministry and quoted by the local media, is gazetted to ”prevent the spread of elements that are prejudicial to or may be prejudicial to morality, public interest, and country, among society”. It is not certain if the punitive action is a reaction to Swatch’s defiance and legal recourse, or further response to the provocative action displayed by Matt Healy of The 1975 during the now-infamous performance at the Good Vibes Festival in Kuala Lumpur last month that led to the ban of the music event. The front man had criticised the anti-LGBTQ+ laws of our neighbour to the north. In open disregard for the Malaysia government’s conservative attitude and steadfastness on the issue, Mr Healy blatantly kissed a band member in the presence of the audience. The band was quickly ordered off stage. Organiser of Good Vibes, Future Sound Asia, is now asking The 1975 for RM12.3 million (S$3.6 million) in damages. The ban may now be seen as underscoring Mr Healy’s onstage diatribe.

Swatch has not commented on the Malaysian government’s latest move against the watch maker’s products that are considered to be widely offensive. Local Netizens have called it a “political” move in view of the upcoming state polls this weekend. We have noted that those watches in question were available in the Swatch stores on our island. It is believed that many pieces were sold, especially after attention was drawn to their existence following reports on the raids across the causeway. It would appear that those Malaysians who bought the brightly-coloured watches before the seizure (or overseas before the ban) need to somehow disown them or make them vanish. It would, therefore, be poor judgment on the part of those here who choose to sport them on their wrists when making harmless jaunts into the peninsula. Tourists are not excluded from local laws. Wearers, owners, provocateurs, and inordinate lovers of those timepieces, berhati-hati—beware.

File photo: Chin Boh Kay for SOTD