The Home Affairs Ministry reportedly seized 172 Swatch watches from outlets in 11 shopping malls over three days this month, with the watches mostly including the six-stripe Pride Flag in their designs.
According to the Malay Mail, the outlets include those in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor, Penang and Kota Kinabalu. Meanwhile, five outlets in Terengganu, Kelantan, Kedah, Johor and Sarawak were given a warning.
FMT reported that the seizure came after netizens connected the watch collection to British rock band Coldplay’s support for the LGBT community.
The announcement of Coldplay’s first concert in Malaysia, to be held this November, had earlier drawn the criticism of a leader from the Islamist party Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS), who had called for the cancellation of the event in a Facebook post on May 10.
The Facebook post was accompanied by images of lead vocalist Chris Martin holding a rainbow flag – which is used to represent the LGBT community – during a Coldplay performance at the Wembley Stadium in London.
Last Tuesday, Religious Affairs Minister Mohd Na’im Mokhtar was quoted as saying by The Malaysian Insight (TMI) that the government has taken initiatives to curb the spread of LGBT ideology by conducting rehabilitation programmes.
The programmes are organised by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) and monitored by a Special Committee on Muslim LGBT Issues in Malaysia.
“The committee meets at least once a year or as needed. It is composed of ministries, departments, agencies and NGOs that will coordinate LGBT issues arising among Muslims in the aspects of education and advocacy, dakwah (Islamic propagation) and guidance and enforcement,” said Mr Mohd Na’im in a parliamentary written reply, according to TMI.
The minister also stated that although Malaysia does not recognise the LGBT movement, the government does not discriminate against members of the community.
Source: CNA
