KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 (Reuters) – Swiss watchmaker Swatch Group (CLOCKS.S) has filed a lawsuit against the Malaysian government for confiscating rainbow-colored 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, the Malaysian authorities confiscated watches from Swatch’s ‘Pride collection’ due to the presence of the letters ‘LGBTQ’ on the watches, the Home Secretary said.
Interior ministry officials “illegally” seized 172 watches from 16 outlets, Swatch said in court documents seen by Reuters. The lawsuit, filed on June 24 in the Kuala Lumpur high court, was first reported on Monday by the Malay Mail, a Malaysian news website.
“Without doubt, the seized watches did not cause and are in no way capable of causing a disruption of public order or morality or any violation of law,” Swatch said in the lawsuit.
The seizure notices sent to Swatch described the watches as having elements of or promoting LGBTQ rights and as potentially breaking Malaysian law, the company said.
Most of the seized watches, which have a combined retail value of RM 64,795 ($14,250.05), did not contain the inscription ‘LGBTQ’, Swatch said.
Swatch is seeking damages and the return of the watches, saying its ability to do business in the country has been “severely compromised” following the seizures.
Malaysia’s home ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court will hear the case on July 20.
Malaysia has jailed or flogged people for homosexuality. Last year, 18 people were arrested at a Halloween party attended by members of the LGBT community.
Seizure and lawsuit come ahead of crucial regional surveys that will pit Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s progressive coalition against a largely conservative ethnic Malay Muslim alliance.
In the run-up to the election, critics again accused Anwar of not doing enough to protect the rights of Muslims in multiracial and multifaith Malaysia.
Anwar was jailed for sodomy and corruption for nearly a decade, charges he denied and said were politically motivated.
The prime minister has said repeatedly this month that his government will uphold the principles of Islam, state media reported. He has also said that LGBT rights will not be recognized by his administration.
($1 = 4.5470 ringgit)
Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi and Rozanna Latiff; Edited by Kanupriya Kapoor
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