Matunggong, Malaysia - Local handicraft needs to be patented to counter unscrupulous quarters who mass produce these items as their own and sell them cheaply.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Assistant Minister, Datuk Karim Hj. Bujang, who made the call, said the local industry would be in jeopardy if the authenticity of the handicraft are not protected through patented rights.
"We have to look into this possibility of registering our handicraft as intellectual property so that the quality and the art work of our people are safeguarded and not easily imitated by money-making opportunists.
"One classical case is the Malay kain samping which has been reproduced by other countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan and being sold cheaply in our country," he said.
Karim said after launching the sixth Pesta Gong themed `Gong Our Cultural Heritage` at an open hall in Kg Sumangkap, here, Tuesday.
"There is also another case where our handicraft are being mass produced in neighbouring countries and put up for sale in Sabah as local products.
"These items are also engraved with words like `Sabah` or `Land Below the Wind` which can deceive tourists who will not able to differentiate them from the real local handicraft. In a way, the tourists are being cheated into buying a product which they think are locally made in Sabah," he said.
Source: www.dailyexpress.com.my (26 Oktober 2007)
