COMMENT | If it was aimed at showing that the federal coalition government is greener than the opposition, it did not work. If it was aimed at placating conservatives that it was against LGBT elements, it was ignored.

Seizing and later banning Swatch watches with rainbow colours did much more - making the prime minister and the country a laughing stock in the eyes of the world.

But do this country and its leaders care about all the negative comments? No. For political expediency, they were willing to risk all but the results of the elections did not turn out to be what it expected.

Having put the cart before the horse by seizing the watches in May - the gazette notification came three months later - three days before the Aug 12 elections. Didn’t it smack of electioneering?

Malaysians did not rush to...