The Swatch group has been granted leave by the high court to continue its bid against the Malaysian government, challenging the controversial seizure of the brand’s Pride watches. The court was informed by lawyer Nizam Bashir that the attorney-general had no objection to the merits of the case being heard, with case management set for 6 September.
Last month, Swatch filed a lawsuit asking the High Court to issue an order to the Home Ministry for the return of 172 seized watches, as well as compensation for aggravated and exemplary damages. The group named four respondents in the suit, name the Home Ministry’s chief secretary, its enforcement division’s secretary, the Home Minister, and the federal government.
The company argues that the seizure of the Pride watches was illegal as they are not included under the definition of the term “publication” in the Printing Presses and Publication Act 1984. It also claimed that the ministry’s officers had acted illegally and irrationally without proper procedure, with no complaints from the ministry prior to the raid.
Just yesterday, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution stated that the seizure was done according to the law after his ministry received complaints from the public, although he did not reveal which Act this raid was done under. Earlier this month, the government gazetted a law that made it illegal for anyone in the country to sell or own Swatch watches related to LGBTQ or any of its packaging.
(Source: The Vibes)
