KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 — Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia today said it will discuss and scrutinise issues raised by PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang concerning ties between the two parties within Perikatan Nasional (PN).

In a brief statement, Bersatu information chief Datuk Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz said the matters raised should be examined comprehensively “in the spirit of camaraderie, mutual understanding and shared responsibility” to strengthen unity within the coalition.

“In this regard, Bersatu will study every issue raised and discuss them in depth at the upcoming meetings of the political bureau and the supreme council of Bersatu,” he said.

Earlier today, Hadi said PAS was reviewing its political relationship and cooperation with Bersatu ahead of the 16th general election, citing several disagreements within Perikatan Nasional.

He said all aspects involving ties between the two parties within PN were being comprehensively reassessed based on lessons from previous elections.

Hadi added that PAS was taking a cautious approach and did not want to rush into any decision, but acknowledged that the party’s patience had its limits.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 — Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari today claimed that a boat he was supposed to use to join the final leg of a humanitarian mission to Gaza was sabotaged and sunk before departure.

Amirudin, who is also leading the Malaysian Emergency Aid Mission to Gaza, said the vessel was believed to have been deliberately targeted after it was identified by parties linked to the Israeli regime.

“I was actually supposed to join the last mile of the journey. However, they managed to identify the boat I was going to use, and it was sunk,” he told reporters today.

“We believe this was sabotage, before I had the chance to board it or before the delegation accompanying me could even depart.”

Amirudin said the alleged sabotage occurred amid growing international participation in humanitarian flotilla efforts to deliver aid and show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

He also claimed there had been two separate acts of sabotage involving the mission — one in Greek waters and another near Turkey.

The remarks came a day after detained activists linked to a Gaza-bound flotilla were released by Israeli authorities, with 29 Malaysians expected to return home by the end of the week.

“Alhamdulillah, God willing, they are expected to return to Malaysia by the end of this week,” Amirudin said.

He added that officers from the Malaysian Islamic Organisations Consultative Council and members of the delegation had already travelled to receive the group, although he himself was unable to join them and may instead welcome them at the airport.

Amirudin also alleged that the activists had suffered physical pressure and abuse while in detention after being intercepted in international waters.

“They were detained in international waters, which I regard as an act of abduction carried out by the regime,” he said.

Despite the incident, Amirudin said the mission would continue efforts to draw global attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

“We will continue to ensure this message reaches the world. We want to break the silence surrounding the people of Gaza,” he said.

He also said he was awaiting a final report regarding 20 containers of humanitarian aid released last month, which are expected to reach Gaza soon.

SHAH ALAM, May 19 — With a packet of ice melting in his hand outside the iconic neighbourhood 7-Eleven, Shukri Azman pointed across Seksyen 6 and smiled.

The same trees still shaded the ageing shoplots and district centre where generations of Shah Alam residents once bought newspapers, prepaid phone credit and Slurpees after school. 

Around it, however, much of Shah Alam has steadily transformed with new commercial centres, apartment towers and increasingly crowded cafe districts in areas like Seksyen 7, 9 and 13.

“Seksyen 6 has hardly changed at all from the time I was born until now,” said the 29-year-old freelancer, recalling childhood trips for nasi ayam lunches and Big Gulps after Hari Raya prayers with his father.

“My younger siblings were born at Klinik Bersalin An-Nur, which only closed recently. There’s still a night market every Tuesday and Friday.

“I hope the whole section stays like this and doesn’t become filled with condominiums. The vibe should remain,” he told Malay Mail.

Elsewhere in Shah Alam, redevelopment is accelerating.

The city’s next major transformation is expected to centre around Seksyen 13 and 14, where large-scale redevelopment plans tied to the SA Sentral project aim to reshape the area surrounding Stadium Shah Alam and the LRT3 corridor with new commercial and residential projects.

Reviving what the city overlooked

Even close to lunchtime, much of the district centre remained subdued during Malay Mail’s visit. Several office units sat shuttered. Corridors stayed quiet except for the occasional customer or delivery rider passing through.

The upper floor corridors at Pusat Daerah Seksyen 6 still retain much of the area’s original architecture and quieter atmosphere. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

For years, some Shah Alam residents regarded the Pusat Daerah Seksyen 6 as outdated.

That neglect is precisely what drew a younger generation of cafe owners and creatives in.

At a pizzeria called Miscusi, graffiti artwork from a previous live painting session still covered sections of the cafe walls hours before opening.

Upstairs at a cafe called Irene, which takes its name from an 1880 painting by a French artist, warm lights are reflected against old wooden interiors and original window frames preserved from the building’s earlier years.

Athletes and coaches from the nearby Selangor State Sports Excellence Centre, located roughly 100 metres away, stopped by for a coffee session.

For Amir Habibur Rahman, 31, spokesperson for Miscusi, the appeal of Seksyen 6 lies in the very things many people overlook.

“Even though places like Seksyen 7 and Seksyen 9 have much bigger food crowds compared to here, we wanted to revive this area because these old buildings actually have potential.

“If you really focus on them, you can beautify the space and use many of the building’s original elements to make it look more aesthetic,” he told Malay Mail.

Amir Habibur Rahman speaks to Malay Mail during an interview. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

He pointed to how older buildings overseas are often preserved and repurposed into cultural spaces because of their atmosphere and history.

That revival has been gradual.

Amir said cafes such as Irene, Jilid Enam and Manis, along with several smaller creative businesses, had helped slowly bring new life into the area over the years.

“The place is actually maintained collectively by us, so we don’t really see each other as competitors,” he said.

“We see it as success whenever more people start viewing Seksyen 6 as somewhere worth coming to for food, business, art and culture.”

Part of the attraction is also economic reality.

According to Amir, many units remain under PKNS ownership, with rents ranging from below RM500 to around RM1,000 monthly — far cheaper than commercial areas elsewhere in Shah Alam.

New tenants often wait for older occupants to leave before undergoing interviews conducted by PKNS to secure units.

Customers sit inside Jilid Enam, one of several newer cafes and creative spaces helping revive Pusat Daerah Seksyen 6 in Shah Alam. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

Escaping the pace of the Klang Valley

For Irene owner Muhammad Hafiz Shaari, 33, the appeal of Seksyen 6 has less to do with nostalgia than exhaustion.

Across the Klang Valley, he said, everything increasingly feels designed for speed, denser developments, heavier traffic and busier commercial districts.

Seksyen 6 moves differently.

“Living in the Klang Valley means living at a fast pace. Yet Seksyen 6 still feels like an old town.

“You can compare it to places like Ipoh or Taiping, there are similarities. Seksyen 6 has characteristics that make it unique amid the busyness of Selangor.

Muhammad Hafiz Shaari speaks to Malay Mail during an interview. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

Hafiz said Shah Alam itself once carried that slower atmosphere.

“Shah Alam used to be plantation land. Then UiTM developed and the city’s history began from there. It used to be quiet, single-lane roads on the federal highway…

“Now everything is busy everywhere you go in Shah Alam,” he said.

That is partly why he believes places like Seksyen 6 have become more valuable.

In a city increasingly shaped by redevelopment, he said many people are now looking for that space as a form of escapism. 

“Compared to the rest of Malaysia, maybe towns like this are common. But within Shah Alam, a place with these values becomes something precious.”

The cafe itself required little to no renovation, he added, because much of the building’s identity already existed.

“We barely modified the place because it was already beautiful as it was.”

He hopes the area can eventually evolve beyond cafes into a wider creative community for music, painting and independent arts.

The old Shah Alam still lingering

That older Shah Alam still lingers across Seksyen 6 in fragments.

The now-closed Klinik Bersalin An-Nur, opened in 1995, is still remembered by residents born there. Older residents still recall browsing rental advertisements pinned outside the same 7-Eleven decades ago.

The area was once known among local youths for skateboarding, rollerblading and a snooker centre.

An outdated signboard at Pusat Daerah Seksyen 6 with a list of tenants. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

Stray cats still wander between the old shoplots near the pasar. A veterinary clinic continues operating nearby. One unit now houses Fonetikar, a studio centred around arts and music.

Many other offices, however, remain dark behind locked doors.

Shukri, who grew up nearby in Seksyen 8, said that contrast is part of what keeps drawing him back.

“Other places feel too congested now,” he said.

“If you go to Seksyen 7, there are motorcycles everywhere and university students parking all over the place.

“Seksyen 13 has more choices for food and shopping, same with Seksyen 7 and 9, but going there means dealing with traffic all the time.”

During the rainy season, he added, the busier parts of Shah Alam flood easily.

“Even after heavy rain for a short while, the water starts rising. I get anxious thinking about getting stuck or my car being submerged.”

In a city still racing towards newer developments, Seksyen 6 remains one of the few places in Shah Alam where time appears to move more slowly.

PETALING JAYA, May 17 — Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad today formally unveiled their new political platform, Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama), confirming they are quitting PKR and vacating their parliamentary seats in Pandan and Setiawangsa.

Here is what we know so far about Bersama.

What exactly is Bersama?

Parti Bersama Malaysia is a Penang-based political party founded by Tan Gin Theam and officially registered on December 2, 2016.

Until today’s announcement, the party had largely stayed out of the national spotlight, though it contested several seats in the 2018 general election and the Penang state election.

It is a multiracial party, although most of its members were Chinese.

Why did Rafizi and Nik Nazmi choose Bersama?

Rafizi framed the move as part of a broader political reset rather than a pursuit of positions or power.

“Even if this is kamikaze, for us, it is a kamikaze worth taking,” he said.

He said the pair wanted a completely new platform free from compromises tied to existing political parties and coalitions.

“It cannot come from existing parties that already have their own political calculations and are already coloured by public perceptions,” he said.

Rafizi said efforts to register a completely new political party were expected to fail.

“We also knew that registering a new party would not be approved,” he said during his speech at the “Hala Tuju Politik” event here.

According to Rafizi, his camp had spent the past year registering several “decoy” political parties while quietly studying smaller existing parties that could align with their political ideals.

“At the same time, we studied existing small parties and began discussions where there was alignment in intentions and ideas,” he said.

He credited Bersama founder Tan for eventually agreeing to hand over the party leadership and structure to them.

The pair also said they would vacate their parliamentary seats before officially joining Bersama in order to avoid accusations of party-hopping and to respect the mandate they won under PKR and Pakatan Harapan.

Rafizi described Bersama as a multiracial political platform centred on political reform, generational renewal and returning political power to ordinary Malaysians.

“Our aspiration is to offer a political platform to Malaysians who believe political power belongs to the people, not politicians,” he said.

He said the party aims to revive a culture of “goodwill politics” that values Malaysians regardless of race, age or economic background.

“The old alongside the young, Malays alongside non-Malays, the rich alongside the poor,” he said.

The party’s slogan is “Barisan Rakyat, Suara Malaysia”.

Will Bersama work with other coalitions?

No.

Rafizi made it clear that Bersama will contest elections independently and will not join any political coalition.

“We are not going for any coalition,” he told reporters.

“We are not bound by negotiating over seats or dealing with specific parties.”

Instead, Bersama said it would contest any seat across the country if there is sufficient voter support and political alignment, regardless of whether the constituency is currently held by Pakatan Harapan, Barisan Nasional or Perikatan Nasional parties.

Rafizi also hinted that more MPs and assemblymen could eventually consider joining Bersama, although the anti-party hopping law currently prevents elected representatives from switching parties without consequences.

“That law binds MPs and assemblymen across all parties,” he said.

“That is why Nik and I need to pave the way first by establishing this platform.”

Why a kancil logo?

Bersama’s logo features a stylised blue mousedeer, or kancil, set against a bright yellow background, with five blue stars arranged above it in an arc.

Rafizi said the kancil symbol reflected the kind of political culture and mentality Malaysia needs.

“Malaysia has tremendous potential. But we need to be agile, smart, brave and willing to take risks,” he said.

He also linked the symbol to the traditional folk tale image of the clever mousedeer defeating larger and more powerful animals through wit and intelligence.

“Psychologically, in our society, the crocodile has always been defeated cleverly by the kancil,” he joked.

The five stars represent the five principles of the Rukun Negara.

As for the yellow-and-blue colour scheme, Rafizi jokingly told reporters: “We like Perlis colours.”

He later explained that yellow symbolised values associated with the Bersih movement and multiracial politics, while blue represented stability and strength.

What happens next for Bersama?

Rafizi said the party’s current leadership registered with the Registrar of Societies would remain in place for the time being, adding that he and Nik Nazmi would formally assume leadership through the party’s constitutional process at an appropriate time.

He acknowledged Bersama would face major challenges entering national politics, but said the party is thinking long-term rather than focusing solely on immediate electoral wins.

“Change does not happen simply by winning elections,” he said, pointing to the early struggles of PKR and DAP before they became major political forces.

He said Bersama’s focus would be on grooming younger leaders, especially those in their 30s, to contest elections over the next one or two election cycles.

“We feel it is time for those of us in our 40s and 50s to train the younger generation,” he said.

Rafizi also confirmed he intends to contest Pandan under the Bersama ticket in the next general election, while Nik Nazmi will contest Setiawangsa.

The party said it would spend the next few months studying voter sentiment and electoral data before deciding how many seats to contest nationwide.

“We need to observe public response over the next one to two months,” Rafizi said.

“By July or August, we should be able to decide better.”

Rafizi also invited Malaysians to register as party members and contribute financially through crowdfunding via the party’s website.

PETALING JAYA, May 17 — Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli today declared that his new political platform, Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama), will contest future elections as an independent force and will not align itself with any political coalition.

Speaking at a press conference here today following the announcement of Bersama’s takeover of an existing party structure, Rafizi said the movement would adopt a multiracial, open-platform approach and field candidates across constituencies currently held by both government and opposition blocs.

“We are not going for any coalition. We are not bound by negotiating over seats or dealing with specific parties. We are multiracial and we can contest anywhere,” he said.

Rafizi said the party’s long-term objective is to build a political movement centred on ideas and generational renewal, drawing parallels with the early years of PKR and DAP.

He acknowledged that Bersama would face early constraints and challenges, but said such obstacles were not unusual for new political movements.

“If you look at PKR or DAP in their early years, they did not succeed at first. But over time, their ideas grew, and those ideas brought change,” he said.

Rafizi said Bersama would prioritise younger candidates, with those in their 30s expected to be groomed and given opportunities to contest in upcoming polls.

“We feel it is time for those of us in our 40s and 50s to take a step back and train the younger generation. That is the focus of Bersama,” he said.

He added that the party would assess public response over the next one to two months before finalising its strategy for the next general election, which he suggested could become clearer by July or August.

Rafizi also confirmed that he would contest the Pandan parliamentary seat under Bersama in the next general election, while Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad would contest Setiawangsa.

He said the party would field candidates in seats across the country if there was sufficient alignment with voter sentiment, regardless of whether those constituencies were held by Pakatan Harapan, Barisan Nasional or Perikatan Nasional.

“God willing, wherever we see a need, Bersama will offer itself to contest in the upcoming series of elections. Regardless of whether the seats are currently held by PKR, DAP, Amanah, Umno, PAS or Bersatu, we will field strong candidates from the new generation if we assess that there is both a need and an opportunity,” he said in his speech earlier.

PETALING JAYA, May 17 — Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said they will vacate the Pandan and Setiawangsa seats tomorrow.

In announcing their takeover of the Malaysian United Party here today, the two former ministers also said they were officially leaving PKR.

The duo said they would notify the Dewan Rakyat Speaker of their withdrawal tomorrow.

Rafizi and Nik Nazmi also said they would formally write to the PKR secretary-general on Tuesday to inform the party of their decision.

At a later press conference, Rafizi said the move was intended to ensure their departure would not be seen as party-hopping, as they respected the mandate given to them under PKR and Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the previous general election.

Rafizi added that he believed other MPs would eventually consider similar moves once a new political platform was established, although he acknowledged that the Anti-Party Hopping Law remained a major constraint.

He said the law effectively binds MPs and assemblymen across all parties, including PKR, Amanah, DAP and Bersatu, limiting their options despite shifting political considerations.

“That is why Nik and I need to pave the way first by establishing this platform and providing it in advance. Any further decisions will be up to other elected representatives,” he said.

Nik Nazmi said the decision to vacate their seats was made to allow them the freedom to join a new political party, Bersama, while also respecting voters’ mandate under Pakatan Harapan and PKR.

“This is not a small decision, but we feel it is important to be fair to voters who elected us under the PH and PKR ticket in the last general election,” he said.

He added that building Bersama would require time ahead of upcoming elections, where the party intends to field candidates and develop its political narrative.

Rafizi said concerns over potential legal action also influenced their approach, noting that PKR’s bond arrangements would typically apply only if MPs left the party to join another while retaining their seats.

He said their decision to vacate their seats meant they were returning the mandate to voters and therefore would not be subject to such conditions.

“That is also why the announcement is structured differently. PKR’s lawsuit or bond arrangement only applies if we leave the party and join another while remaining MPs. Previously, there were no MPs willing to vacate their seats.

“Everyone wants to be an MP but also wants to switch parties. What we are doing today is vacating our seats and returning the mandate to the people. Therefore, when we leave as PKR members on Tuesday, it will not be subject to the bond. That is why we are taking this approach,” he said.

Rafizi added that the decision on whether a by-election would be held now rested with the Dewan Rakyat Speaker.

He noted that under the Federal Constitution, a by-election is generally not required if a seat has been vacant for more than three years after the general election, but said there is also a provision allowing the Speaker to call one if the vacancy affects the government’s majority.

“In the current situation, it should not apply as the government’s majority is 150 even without the two of us. The majority now stands at 152.

“Once we vacate, it becomes 150, which is still strong compared to the required 112. So, there should not be a by-election, but ultimately it depends on the Speaker’s decision,” he said.

Both men also said they would continue serving their respective constituencies — Pandan and Setiawangsa — after vacating their seats.

PETALING JAYA, May 17 — A year after their departure from the Cabinet, PKR’s Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad today announced that they will take over the Malaysian United Party (MUP) as their new political platform.

The announcement was made today at the PJ Performing Arts Centre in a symbolic handover ceremony. MUP’s founder and president, Tan Gin Theam, presented the two PKR stalwarts with a mock party registration certificate to officiate the transition.

MUP or Parti Bersama Malaysia is a little-known, Penang-based political party that was officially registered on December 2, 2016.

Today’s announcement coincides with the Pakatan Harapan convention taking place at the same time in Johor Baru, the first time such an event has been held since 2022.

Speaking during the “Hala Tuju Politik Rafizi dan Nik Nazmi” event here, Rafizi said the new platform was aimed at Malaysians who believe political power should belong to the people rather than politicians.

He also thanked Tan and the existing party leadership for agreeing to hand over the party to them, describing the move as sincere support for their political aspirations.

“Our aim is to offer a political platform to Malaysians who share our thinking, those who believe that political power belongs to the people, not to politicians.

“As fate would have it, Parti Bersama Malaysia was also founded by ordinary people who were not well known on the national political stage, so it is fitting that our platform moving forward is a party established by ordinary Malaysians.

“That is why we are very pleased that there is no need to change the party’s name, which has existed since 2016,” he said.

Rafizi also said that the group had anticipated difficulties in registering a completely new political party.

“So, what we have done over the past year is this: we registered several new parties as decoys, so that those in power, in Putrajaya, would laugh at us because they thought our efforts would go nowhere if approval was denied,” he said.

“At the same time, we studied existing small parties and began discussions where there was alignment in intentions and ideas.”

Rafizi also invited Malaysians to register as party members and contribute financially through crowdfunding via the party’s website.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 — By the time the sun rose over Mid Valley Megamall this morning, Ayu Omar and her daughter Allesya had already spent nearly 10 hours waiting for a watch from the new Audemars Piguet x Swatch “Royal Pop” collection.

The 46-year-old administrator from Banting, Selangor arrived at the mall at around 9.30 last night, armed with little more than a camping chair and her daughter’s laptop, which Allesya used to complete an assignment while sitting on the chair outside the Swatch boutique.

The pair were among dozens who camped overnight for the worldwide launch of the collection, a collaboration that drew crowds long before the mall’s doors officially opened at 10am.

Overnight queue for limited drop

“Firstly, I like Swatch. Secondly, it’s because of the collaboration with AP,” Ayu said when approached while seated cross-legged near the North Court entrance.

“AP is a huge name in the watch industry, so when they combined Swatch with AP, I felt it was really worth getting, especially at quite an affordable price.”

Like many others in line, Ayu’s night was repeatedly interrupted by confusion over crowd control.

At first, customers queued inside the mall before being instructed to leave. They later waited outside through the night before being allowed back in around 7.30am, three people at a time.

By 8.15am, the queue had already snaked several metres, ending just before the centre court.

Limited stock, rising tension

Then came the announcement that shattered Ayu’s hopes.

At around 9.15am, a Swatch staff member informed the crowd that only a limited number of watches were available.

Although the “Royal Pop” collection was not officially a numbered limited edition, there would not be enough units for everyone in line today.

The mood shifted almost immediately.

Those seated on the floor scrambled to the front to check their chances, while others remained frozen in place, staring towards the boutique entrance.

Only around 70 people appeared to remain within the estimated cut-off point.

Ayu was not one of them.

After lingering for a while longer, she quietly gave up and left.

Ayu Omar, 46 (centre, wearing hijab) after the announcement of the store will sell limited number of units on May 16, 2026. — Picture by Yusof Isa

“I’ve liked Swatch since school,” she said earlier, estimating she had followed the brand for more than 20 years.

“But when you’re a collector, even if you can’t wear it on your wrist, that’s okay. You still want it as part of your collection because it’s very different.”

RM50 runners fuel resale scramble

The frenzy surrounding the release also revealed a parallel economy quietly operating within the queue itself.

One man, who declined to be named, admitted he and his friends had hired 14 “runners” to queue on their behalf, paying each person RM50.

Most of the runners were easily identifiable by their attire – black T-shirts, jeans and slippers – with many appearing uninterested in the watches themselves.

The man refused to disclose how much his customers paid for the service, though checks by Malay Mail on social media platforms such as Threads found queueing services advertising prices ranging from RM600 to over RM1,000 above the retail price of the watch.

“When there’s a willing buyer, there’s a willing seller,” the man said.

Malay Mail also observed several people passing around debit and credit cards to other people waiting in line after exiting the store with their purchases.

Swatch X Audemars Piguet Royal Pop watches model release displayed in presentation case at Mid Valley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur on May 16, 2026. — Picture by Yusof Isa

Swatch stores are enforcing a one-watch-per-person, per-store, policy for the release, though some customers questioned whether the restrictions were enough to deter scalpers.

‘Just here for the hype’

Among them was Ammanjit Singh, a 39-year-old banker from Sri Gombak, who just walked out of the store after purchasing the watch, carrying bags of crisps inside a carry-on bag after spending the night outside the mall.

“I work a nine-to-five job. I haven’t slept since yesterday,” he said.

Ammanjit readily admitted he is not a hardcore collector and was there largely for the atmosphere.

“I’m just here for the hype. My friend is the real, proper watch enthusiast,” he said.

Still, even Ammanjit noticed how organised some of the resellers appeared to be.

“I do feel bad for people who genuinely wanted the watch, but these scalpers, there’s not much you can do. They queued up too,” he said.

“For instance, you can see people sharing credit cards. Rather than saying one person, one watch per store, maybe they should say one credit card per store.”

Ammanjit Singh, 39 (left) poses for pictures with his friend after buying the Swatch X Audemars Piguet Royal Pop watches at Mid Valley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur on May 16, 2026. — Picture by Yusof Isa

At one point during the morning, auxiliary police officers began checking customers’ identification cards to verify their ages, with those below 18 turned away from the queue.

Some teenagers protested and refused to move, with one arguing loudly that the policy was unfair before a staff member snapped back: “I said no!”

Despite the tension, many still did not leave even after learning they were unlikely to secure a watch.

The Audemars Piguet x Swatch “Royal Pop” collection officially launched worldwide today after days of speculation, fake leaked images and online hype.

Although Swatch has confirmed the watches will receive rolling restocks similar to the MoonSwatch collaboration with Omega, that did little to discourage those hoping to secure one on launch day.