Malaysia's First Invention Reality Show

Malaysia will host an invention reality show which will start from 25 September 2010. The program called "TV Idea: Malaysian Inventors Challenge," billed as Malaysia's first invention reality show, aims to look for the best innovation among grass root Malaysians. Ten episodes of approximately 30 minutes program featuring preliminary selection and finals are being scheduled to be aired by TV3, every Saturday at 7pm. National astronaut Major Dr Faiz Khaleed and Daphne Iking have been identified as the host of the program. The invention reality show is a joint effort between Sirim, Proton and Ministry of Science. The organizers are looking for invention entries for the preliminary rounds. Interested individuals or group may get more information here. The finals will feature 24 entries which may potentially receive government grants and assistance to develop and patent the invention.

A Tribute to the Man behind the Swatch

The world famous Swiss watch industry lost a leading figure recently with the death of Mr. Nicolas G. Hayek on June 28, aged 82. Mr. Hayek was born on February 19, 1928, in Lebanon and at the age of seven emigrated to Switzerland, where he became a Swiss citizen.

A pioneering and charismatic entrepreneur, Mr. Hayek, co-founder and former Chairman of the Swatch Group, is widely credited with reviving the Swiss watch industry in the 1980s when it was under threat from mass-produced, low-cost electronic timepieces. The innovative strategies he implemented in the early 1980s breathed new life into the entire Swiss watch industry, enabling it to regain its leading position worldwide. The industry, Switzerland’s third largest exporter after the machine and chemical industries, sells nearly 95 percent of its production to overseas markets.

Mr. Hayek was a decisive force in the launch in 1983 of the Swatch watch, an icon of popular culture.

In developing the Swatch phenomenon, Mr. Hayek’s unique entrepreneurial talent combined “disposability, affordability and reliability” to deliver a range of colorful, trendy and low-cost plastic watches for every occasion. The Swatch’s innovative mechanism has only 51 parts compared to the over 91 parts in a conventional watch. Its avant-garde designs made Swatch a fashion statement. Its low cost means that fashion-conscious consumers can own several Swatches to suit mood and occasion. In a recent interview, Mr. Hayek said, “I am not making watches only to look at the time. I am making jewels! They are jewels!”

Today Swatch launches some 300 designs a year and is one of the largest users of WIPO’s Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs which offers a cost-effective way to protect designs internationally by filing a single application, in one language (English, French or Spanish) and in one currency (Swiss francs). About half of the designs Swatch launches each year are phased out after six months, making them highly collectible. A 1988 fake-fur Swatch is reported to have been recently valued at £18,500 (approx. US$28,316).

Mr. Hayek was a master of marketing, introducing simple ideas to leverage the reputation, prestige and exclusivity of the Swatch Group’s stable of 19 watch brands, including Breguet, Calvin Klein, Longines, Tissot and Omega. In a recent interview with the Indian daily MINT, Mr. Hayek outlined the company’s approach to branding. “We have a unique message for each of our brands. This is a very strong part of how we operate”. For example, the message for the Jaquet-Droz brand is “Eternity - the Ultimate Luxury”. The Swatch Group is a regular user of WIPO’s Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks, a user-friendly and cost-effective option for registering and managing trademarks internationally.
Full article -WIPO Magazine

Faiza Cannot Use "Ponni" Label, Rules Court

The High Court here Tuesday ruled that Faiza Sdn Bhd cannot use the "ponni" label for its rice products.

Judge Datuk Azahar Mohamed made the ruling after allowing an application by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority of India (APEDA) an four others to nullify the trademark used by the company.

He also ordered that the Registrar of Trademarks remove Faiza's "ponni" label from its register.

In his judgement, Azahar said 'ponni' rice was produced in the Kaveri Delta in India that Faiza did not have the right to register it as its own trademark.

"To sum up, I concluded that the entry of 'ponni' trade mark in the register of trade marks in Malaysia is an entry wrongfully made and wrongfully remaining in the registry.

"All material times, the name "ponni" was used consistently and extensively world wide and in Malaysia for a particular variety of rice originating from the trade mark region in India," he said.

He added that the 'ponni' as a result of such consistent and extensive use became distinctive of such variety of rice worldwide and Malaysia.

"The word 'ponni' is not an invented word of the Malaysian company. In Tamil the word "ponni" is gold as rice is precious and "ponni" is a recognisable name of rice variety originating from Tamil Nadu.

"The name 'ponni' does not qualify for registration as it prevents others from legitimately using the particular rice and the respondent is not entitled to register the word "ponni" as a trade mark," he said.

In their civil action filed on Jan 22, APEDA, Universiti Pertanian Tamil Nadu, two farmers from India, and business entities Visnukumar Traders Pvt.Ltd and K.K Imports and Exports had named Faiza Sdn Bhd as the respondent.

The plaintiffs wanted the court to order the "ponni" trade mark with registration number No 00007172 to be voided and removed from the Malaysian Trade Marks Registry and gazetted as such.

Faiza Sdn Bhd's marketing and sales manager Fazaruddin Ibrahim had told the court that the company received approval to use the trade mark on June 6, 2000 from the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia.

He said the company had spent a sizable sum of money to obtain the trade mark and popularise it among consumers.

He added that the company had no ulterior motives in using the trade mark and had never denied the geographical origin of "ponni" rice.

The plaintiffs were represented by counsel Karen Abraham while Faiza Sdn Bhd by counsel A. Chinnapalanidevi. -Bernama

MyID and MyCoID

This is probably the first announcement by newly appointed Director General Azizan Mohamad Sidin.

To all our valued customers, in line with the Governments initiative on the usage of MyID and MyCoID in the public sector agencies, the Patent Department and the Trade Marks Department of the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia will enforce the usage of the following:

1. MyID number (MyKad) - if the applicant is an individual or partnership; or
2. MyCoID company registration number- if the applicant is a company

as a personal reference number for any Trade Marks applications and Patent applications effective 12 July 2010. You may register the MyID/MyCoID via PANTAS online or MyIPO service counter. For search and query for applications using MyID/MyCoID, it can be made via the Application Status Enquiry.

For the purpose of the above, kindly write the MyID/MyCoID number after the applicant’s name on each and every form relating to Trade Marks and Patent applications filed with MyIPO.

Azizan Mohamad Sidin
Director General
Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia
8 July 2010

Azizan Appointed as New Director General of MyIPO

Azizan Mohamad Sidin, 50, was appointed as Director General and Member of Perbadanan Harta Intelek Malaysia on 1 July 2010. He holds a Bachelor Degree of Science (Agribusiness) from University Pertanian Malaysia and Masters of Science (Economics) from University of Arkansas, USA. His extensive experience in administering and managing of an organization has made him a household name in civil service. Started his career as Marketing Officer at Malaysian Timber Industry Board in 1984 before he was appointed as Assistant Secretary at Ministry of Primary Industries in 1988. He was later appointed as Assistant Director at Economic Planning Unit at the Prime Minister’s Department in 1994 and as Head of Assistant Director at Privatization and Economic Section, Office of the Secretary to Government Selangor in 2000. He was appointed as Yang Dipertua (Mayor) of Sepang Municipal Council on 01 November 2005 before continuing his career at MyIPO. - MyIPO

Attracting investments in innovation via incentives (10MP)

THE Government will create incentives and opportunities for Malaysian companies to invest in innovation, through the public procurement process and the design of regulations.

An improved public procurement process is a key opportunity to increase the level of innovation in Malaysian companies.

Regulatory change is a key driver of innovation as firms compete to develop new products that are more efficient, greener and safer. Other advanced economies have created leading global companies through regulatory reforms that have forced innovative solutions.

Several regulatory changes are expected to drive innovation.

The innovation institutional structure and intellectual property (IP) regime will be strengthened as they are critical innovation enablers.

A review of the institutional structure supporting innovation and research and development (R&D) is imperative to improve innovation outcomes.

The IP regime, including the expertise and institutional capacity of IP examiners and agents, will be upgraded to improve the investment climate and investor confidence and provide a dynamic environment for the creation of new and innovative products and services.

To further improve the protection regime and shorten the application and approval process for trademarks (from 15 months to 12 months) and patents (from 39 months to 32 months), Web-based facilities will be provided including a voluntary registration system for copyright protection and a patent search database.

To incentivise the filing and maintenance of IP, the Government will make available grants and preferential rate loans.

The Government will support R&D and commercialisation across the value chain under a number of initiatives. It will strengthen the risk capital industry to increase access to funding for innovative start-ups.

New funding modes for public venture companies will be introduced to better match investment risk profiles and promote greater private sector participated and risk-taking. Government funding to public venture companies, Malaysian Technology Development Corp (MTDC) and Malaysian Venture Capital Management Bhd will shift from the current leading model to an equity structure.

A Mudharabah Innovation Fund (MIF) with an allocation of RM500mil, will also be introduced to provide risk capital to government-backed venture companies.

The MIF will offer enhanced risk return profile to investors and attract more private risk capital to co-invest, and gradually reduce dependence on public funds. To bridge the gap between invention and commercialisation of high-technology products, the Government will establish a Business Growth Fund with an allocation of RM150mil.

The fund will focus on supporting companies commercialising public sector research results and will provide hybrid grant-equity funding.

Existing public venture-capital initiatives will be rationalised. MTDC, will be restructured to focus on nurturing technology transfer and commercialise, while a new technology investment company will be set up to manage funds and investments transferred from MTDC and Khazanah Nasional Bhd.

The Government will continue to fund innovation by allowing tax deductions for R&D and providing matching grants to promote private sector funding of R&D and commercialisation.

A dedicated programme known as 1-InnoCERT, which assesses the innovation level of enterprises, will further stimulate R&D activities through funding incentives such as access to preferential rate loans, credit guarantees and grants. - The Star

Sabah’s shopping complex wins legal right to use ‘Suria’

The state’s latest shopping mall has won the legal right to use the word “Suria” after the High Court here dismissed a suit by Kuala Lumpur-based Suria KLCC Sdn Bhd against its use.

Suria KLCC filed the suit in 2009 against Makamewah Sdn Bhd, the developer and operator of Suria Sabah mall here, seeking damages and an injunction for the Sabah firm to stop using the “Suria” name and logo in its trade.

In dismissing the suit, Judicial Commissioner Stephen Chung held that the company had failed to prove that Makamewah’s act and conduct amounted to misrepresentation that would cause actual damage to its business.

He also held that Suria KLCC did not have monopoly or exclusive use of the word “Suria” as it was a common word and not invented.

In his 10-page ruling, Chung said the Suria KLCC’s trademark registration provided protection for the words “Suria” and “KLCC” when they are used together along with the swirl device or logo as a distinctive mark.

He added that Suria KLCC also operated two other shopping malls, the Alamanda Shopping Centre in Putrajaya and Mesra Mall in Terengganu.

“It is pertinent to note that these shopping malls are not known as ‘Suria Putrajaya’ or ‘Suria Terengganu’ or use the word ‘Suria’ as part of their name.

“There is no shopping mall chain in Malaysia which uses the word ‘Suria’ as part of its name,” Chung held.

Suria KLCC had claimed that Makamewah’s use of the word “Suria” in Suria Sabah and the use of the swirl logo were likely to cause confusion and deception among the business community and the public.

Suria Sabah opened over six months ago. - the Star