KUALA LUMPUR: Chaos erupted at shopping malls across Malaysia as eager buyers scrambled to get their hands on the highly anticipated Audemars Piguet x Swatch collection, with some queueing overnight for the limited-edition timepieces.
At Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, a video circulating on social media showed a scuffle breaking out among the crowd, with users alleging a lack of a proper queue system despite the large turnout.
Netizens described a tense atmosphere as shoppers jostled to reach the sales counters, reflecting the frenzy surrounding the launch.
Similar scenes were reported at Mid Valley Southkey in Johor Baru, where swelling crowds allegedly overwhelmed security personnel attempting to maintain order.
The collection, priced between RM1,720 and RM1,840, has sparked intense demand among collectors and watch enthusiasts, drawing comparisons to the viral Omega x Swatch launch that triggered a similar buying frenzy globally.
Globally, AFP reported that the launch also turned chaotic in several European cities and New York, with French police firing tear gas to restore order at one store near Paris.
Hundreds of people waited through the night – and in some cases for several days – hoping to get their hands on the "Royal Pop" timepieces, made in collaboration with luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet.
In France, lines of hundreds of people formed through the night in several cities, and a police source said officers fired tear gas to control a 300-strong crowd outside a Swatch shop in the Paris region.
A metal shutter and two security gates were damaged in the incident, and police said the stores had underestimated the need for security.
Things also turned ugly in Milan, where a fight broke out in front of a Swatch store at opening time on Saturday, according to footage broadcast by local media.
In the Netherlands, police had to intervene at a mall near The Hague after hundreds of people flocked to the store. - NST
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