PETALING JAYA: The Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution should explain the government’s stand after raids were carried out at Swiss watchmaker Swatch outlets over the rainbow watches supporting the LGBT, says Muda deputy president Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz (pic).
The Puteri Wangsa assemblyman in a tweet asked Saifuddin where was the line drawn on such matters.
"My biggest concern about this is the ambiguity of what’s considered harmful. This is a slippery slope.
"Are we going to start raiding all shops that sell anything with a rainbow / pride painted on it? Including the small businesses?
"We’re sending a message that it’s not safe for brands and companies to operate in Malaysia," she tweeted on Tuesday. (May 22)
Following her tweets many netizens pointed out that the watch collection clearly indicated its support for the LGBT community for its Pride collection as announced by Swatch.
A user replied to Amira by saying that the watches were designed with the intent of supporting the LGBT+ culture.
The user also said that the watches were not natural rainbow or the classic rainbow coloured umbrella often sold by the road.
"If you learn what's happening in USA, you should be very wary of these Woke culture," the user tweeted.
To this, Amira responded saying social media users missed the point she was making by attributing her concern to the ambiguity of the law and its nature that is open to abuse.
"If this is the government's stance, table it in Dewan Rakyat and let the MPs debate and decide.
"It shouldn’t be at the whims and fancy of whoever is the Minister of the day," Amira tweeted.
However, netizens also shared some humour over the situation by sharing pictures of the colourful Planetarium, rainbow cookies and even a popular brand of rainbow-coloured ice cream.
The ministry raided 11 Swatch stores in the Klang Valley on May 13 and 14 and seized all of the brand's Pride Collection watches.
The officers served a notice stating that 22 watches had been confiscated because they carried LGBTQ+ symbols at one of the outlets located in a mall in Klang Valley.
The notice stated that the collection was violating the Printing Presses and Publications Act of 1984. According to the Act, brands that sell items that are considered harmful or likely to be harmful to morals may face legal consequences.
In response to the raid, Swatch group chief executive officer Nick Hayek Jr contested that their collection using rainbow colours carrying messages of peace and love was harmful to anyone.
"On the contrary, Swatch always gives a positive message of joy in life.This is nothing political," he said in a statement.
