Recent reports confirm that Malaysian authorities have conducted raids on Swatch stores across the country, resulting in the confiscation of items from the brand's "Pride Collection." These particular watches feature the rainbow flag, which is associated with the LGBTQ+ movement. The enforcement action was carried out by the Home Ministry on May 13th and 14th, with items being seized from several Swatch outlets, including those in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, 1 Utama, Sunway Pyramid, Setia City Mall, Mid Valley Megamall, Southkey, Sunway Putra Mall, Sogo KL, Queensbay, Fahrenheit 88, and Suria Sabah. Warning notices were also issued to stores in KTCC (Terengganu), Aeon KB, Aman Central Kedah, City Square, and Viva City Kuching.

Swatch Group's CEO, Nick Hayek Jr., responded to the confiscation by stating that the brand has consistently produced colorful timepieces to represent diversity and celebrate people from all walks of life. Hayek emphasized that Swatch takes pride in being a platform for self-expression and creativity and firmly contests the notion that their collection of rainbow-colored watches with messages of peace and love could be harmful to anyone. He further emphasized that Swatch always promotes a positive message of joy in life and that the brand's intention is not political. Hayek questioned how the authorities could seize watches representing natural rainbows when they appear frequently in Malaysia's skies.

The confiscation of the watches is believed to be related to their association with the LGBTQ+ movement, which remains a contentious topic in Muslim-majority Malaysia. This incident follows a similar controversy surrounding the scheduled concert of British band Coldplay in the country. Certain factions within the Perikatan Nasional (PN) have called for the cancellation of the concert due to the band's support for LGBTQ rights. In response, Digital and Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil defended Coldplay, highlighting that the band has also advocated for causes such as Palestine and river cleanup efforts in Malaysia.

The incident involving Swatch raises concerns about the freedom of expression and the treatment of LGBTQ+ issues in Malaysia. It serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community in the country.

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