THE arrival of counterfeit products from overseas with no brand attached makes it impossible for authorities to fully impose a crackdown on the sale of such items.
According to Director of the Kuala Lumpur branch of the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry Ariffin Samsudin it was difficult to seize the goods at the entry point because the government does not prohibit the import of clothing or textiles from abroad just as long as they do not violate any rules such as the incorrect use of trademarks.
“For example, most of the fake clothing from Bangladesh is without any brand. Only after they have passed the authorities’ inspection either at the port or airport will the syndicate attach fake brands with the labels printed in the country,” he told Bernama.
“It is not an offence to bring them in because no company brand is affixed to the items. What is patented and registered at the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia is the brand only.”
Ariffin pointed out that the ministry encountered further challenges in battling counterfeit goods since, in certain circumstances, representatives of the trademark owner were unwilling to cooperate properly when raiding a place.
He stated that it is crucial for trademark agents to be present during a raid because they can determine if the products are counterfeit.
“For example, during a recent raid on Jalan Petaling involving more than 30 trademarks, some of the representatives were not present, so we could not seize the goods even if they are counterfeit,” he commented.
According to Ariffin, the most difficult problem is educating the public regarding trademarks and deterring them from purchasing counterfeit goods merely to be “fashionable”.
“During the festive season, there is a high demand for fake goods across the country, and importers will take the opportunity to restock their goods for distribution, including for online sales,” he remarked.
He further stated that there are three hotspot places in Kuala Lumpur for the storage and selling of counterfeit goods which are Jalan Petaling, Jalan Chow Kit, and Jalan Kenanga.
“We are making efforts to combat this activity but, ultimately, consumers need to be aware that they should not buy counterfeit goods, even if they are cheap,” he said. – April 24, 2023
Main pic credit: Expedia Malaysia
