00:00The Kuala Lumpur High Court has ordered the government to return 172 Swatch watches, including
00:07the Pride collection series, seized by Home Ministry officers last year.
00:12Justice Amarjit Singh held that the Home Ministry acted against the law and ordered the government
00:17to return the watches within 14 days.
00:20Last year, the watches were seized from 11 Swatch shops in Pavilion KL, Wanutama, Sunway
00:25Pyramid, Mid Valley Mega Mall and Suria Sabah.
00:28Swatch Malaysia filed a judicial review in August 2023 to challenge the government's action.
00:34The Swiss watchmaker claimed the seizure was illegal as the watches were not defined as
00:39a form of publication under the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.
00:44Amarjit said the prohibition order on the watches was only issued and gazetted in August
00:492023 after their seizure in May, adding that Swatch Malaysia did not contravene any law
00:54during the time of seizure.
00:57Although the court did not grant an order for RM64,795 in damages, Amarjit said Swatch
01:03could apply for damages if the watches were spoiled.
01:06Meanwhile, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said his ministry will wait for the
01:11court's written judgment before returning the watches.
01:15He also said his ministry would comply with the order as he did not want to be held in contempt.
01:21Natasha Bews, FMT News.
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