High Court Orders Home Ministry to Return 172 Seized ‘Pride Watches’ to Swatch, Says Seizure Was Illegal

Last year, The Swatch Group (Malaysia) took legal action to challenge the Home Ministry after they seized 172 watches, including the ‘Pride Collection,’ which were said to be linked to the LGBTQ community.

Today (November 25), the Home Ministry (KDN) said they respect the High Court’s decision to order the return of all 172 seized watches to The Swatch Group (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.

“If that’s the court’s decision, the Ministry must respect it”

At a press conference, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said he’d need to get the full report on the judgment first.

He explained that when the case happened, the ministry acted according to the law at the time, and the enforcement team did what was considered appropriate.

However, he noted that if the action is challenged in court and a ruling is made, the ministry must respect it, as disregarding the decision would amount to contempt of court.

“Seizure of the Pride watches was illegal”

Earlier, BERNAMA reported that Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Datuk Amarjeet Singh made the call after approving The Swatch Group (Malaysia)’s judicial review application against the Home Ministry’s secretary-general, the secretary of the Home Ministry Enforcement Division, the Home Minister, and the Malaysian Government as the 1st to 4th respondents.

Amarjeet also ruled in favour of the applicant’s request to cancel the seizure notice, saying the seizure took place without a warrant and was illegal.

What are your thoughts on this? Let us know down in the comments!

Also read: KL High Court Rules That Swatch Can Challenge Their Pride Watch Seizure Through a Judicial Review