THE Swatch Pride Collection of timepieces seized by the authorities last week did not carry any reference to the LGBT ideology, Swatch Group CEO Nick Hayek said.

He said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was “misinformed” when he said that the confiscated rainbow-coloured watches released during Pride Month were connected to the LGBT movement.

On Thursday Anwar said he was told that Swatch pieces were not seized because they bore the colours of the rainbow but because of their “LGBT elements.”

“The Malaysian Prime Minister Mr Anwar Ibrahim stated in a recent interview that Swatch’s latest collection of colourful watches includes the letters LGBT on the dials. Apparently he was misinformed,” ,” Hayek was quoted as saying on Malay Mail Online.

“Swatch has not included any reference to the LGBT community on the dials of this year’s Pride Collection.

“These colourful watches include the meaning of each pride colour (life, healing, sunlight, nature, harmony, spirit) on their minute hands and two loops that form a rainbow.”

The Pride rainbow with six colours –  compared to the regular rainbow with seven – is universally recognised as a symbol of the LGBT movement.

The Home Ministry has seized 172 Swatch watches from outlets in 11 shopping malls. The watches mostly feature  the six-stripe Pride flag in their designs.

Hayak previously said the watches were seized by the Home Ministry’s Regulatory and Enforcement Division under the Printing Presses and Publications Act. – May 6, 2023.