Intellectual Property
7 cases · October 2021 to April 2026
Case Volume by Year
1 21
1 23
2 24
2 25
1 26
2021–2026
Key Issues & Sub-Topics
Trade marks — Infringement — Registered mark — Use in the course of trade — Sale of goods bearing identical mark — Online marketplace (Lazada) — Whether resale of counterfeit goods amounts to infringement — Whether knowledge or intention required. 1 Trade marks — Infringement — Strict liability — Whether innocent infringement or lack of knowledge is a defence — Role of supplier — Whether liability of reseller displaced by upstream supplier. 1 Trade marks — Infringement — Passing off — Counterfeit pharmaceutical products — Registered proprietor — Defendant licensed pharmacist — Duty to ensure authenticity of goods — Absence of statutory defence under Trade Marks Act 2019 1 Trademarks — Infringement — Passing off — Well-known mark — “Arm & Axe” marks 1 Copyright — Infringement — Claim for damages — Assessment of — Whether there was foundation for claiming sums — Whether general and additional damages to be awarded — Whether damages to be awarded on the basis of license fee basis — Whether claims exorbitant — Whether additional damages payable by infringer for flagrancy of infringement and for benefits gained from infringement — What considerations may be taken into account — Whether damages to be reduced based on nature of infringer’s use of infringed software — Copyright Act 1987, s. 37(1)(b) & 37(7) — Rules of Court 2012, O.37 r.1. 1 Trademarks — Expungement application — Defendant operated a hotel known as “La Villa” in Langkawi since July 2013 — Plaintiff registered “La Villa” trademark in Malaysia in 2016 and first use it in February 2014 — Defendant seeking to expunge trademark registered by Plaintiff under the Trademarks Act 2019 — Whether the Defendant aggrieved by Plaintiff’s registered trademark — Whether Defendant the first user of the trademark — Whether Plaintiff committed tort of passing off — Whether Defendant’s use of unregistered trademark infringed Plaintiff’s registered mark — Trademarks Act 2019, s.16, s.23(5)(a), s.24(4), s.47(1), s.47(3)(b), s.48, s.52, s.53, s54 and s.55(2) — Evidence Act 1950, s.114(g) — Undang-Undang Kecil Perlesenan, Perniagaan Dan Perusahaan (Pihak-Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan) Negeri Kedah 1985. 1 Copyright — Artistic work — Packaging design — Infringement of copyright — Objective similarity of works and casual connection — Passing Off — Statutory Declaration as a prima facie evidence — Copyright Act 1987 — Commonplace elements — Adverse inference due to suppression of evidence — Independent creation rebutted — Claim partially allowed. Plaintiff’s product packaging was held to be an artistic work protected under the Copyright Act 1987. Court found substantial objective similarity and causal connection between Plaintiff’s and Defendants’ boxes. Defendants’ failure to call key witnesses led to adverse inference. Copyright infringement and passing off proven. Certain generic elements excluded. Claim partially allowed. 1 Trade Mark Infringement and Passing Off 1
Trade marks — Infringement — Registered mark — Use in the course of trade — Sale of goods bearing identical mark — Online marketplace (Lazada) — Whether resale of counterfeit goods amounts to infringement — Whether knowledge or intention required. 1 case
Trade marks — Infringement — Strict liability — Whether innocent infringement or lack of knowledge is a defence — Role of supplier — Whether liability of reseller displaced by upstream supplier. 1 case
Trade marks — Infringement — Passing off — Counterfeit pharmaceutical products — Registered proprietor — Defendant licensed pharmacist — Duty to ensure authenticity of goods — Absence of statutory defence under Trade Marks Act 2019 1 case
Trademarks — Infringement — Passing off — Well-known mark — “Arm & Axe” marks 1 case
Copyright — Infringement — Claim for damages — Assessment of — Whether there was foundation for claiming sums — Whether general and additional damages to be awarded — Whether damages to be awarded on the basis of license fee basis — Whether claims exorbitant — Whether additional damages payable by infringer for flagrancy of infringement and for benefits gained from infringement — What considerations may be taken into account — Whether damages to be reduced based on nature of infringer’s use of infringed software — Copyright Act 1987, s. 37(1)(b) & 37(7) — Rules of Court 2012, O.37 r.1. 1 case
Trademarks — Expungement application — Defendant operated a hotel known as “La Villa” in Langkawi since July 2013 — Plaintiff registered “La Villa” trademark in Malaysia in 2016 and first use it in February 2014 — Defendant seeking to expunge trademark registered by Plaintiff under the Trademarks Act 2019 — Whether the Defendant aggrieved by Plaintiff’s registered trademark — Whether Defendant the first user of the trademark — Whether Plaintiff committed tort of passing off — Whether Defendant’s use of unregistered trademark infringed Plaintiff’s registered mark — Trademarks Act 2019, s.16, s.23(5)(a), s.24(4), s.47(1), s.47(3)(b), s.48, s.52, s.53, s54 and s.55(2) — Evidence Act 1950, s.114(g) — Undang-Undang Kecil Perlesenan, Perniagaan Dan Perusahaan (Pihak-Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan) Negeri Kedah 1985. 1 case
Copyright — Artistic work — Packaging design — Infringement of copyright — Objective similarity of works and casual connection — Passing Off — Statutory Declaration as a prima facie evidence — Copyright Act 1987 — Commonplace elements — Adverse inference due to suppression of evidence — Independent creation rebutted — Claim partially allowed. Plaintiff’s product packaging was held to be an artistic work protected under the Copyright Act 1987. Court found substantial objective similarity and causal connection between Plaintiff’s and Defendants’ boxes. Defendants’ failure to call key witnesses led to adverse inference. Copyright infringement and passing off proven. Certain generic elements excluded. Claim partially allowed. 1 case
Trade Mark Infringement and Passing Off 1 case
Key Statutes
Rules of Court 2012
cited in 1 case Court Distribution
Key People & Firms
Top Judges
Top Firms
Cases
ma-22ip-3-02-2025
KOTRA PHARMA (M) SDN. BHD. v HO CHOI YEE
8 April 2026
MYHC
ta-22ip-1-05-2025
KOTRA PHARMA (M) SDN. BHD. v LAU TIAN THYE B/S FARMASI MEGA CARE
21 December 2025
MYHC
wa-22ip-13-03-2023
1. ) LEUNG KAI FOOK MEDICAL CO. PTE LTD 2. ) LEUNG KAI FOOK MEDICAL SDN BHD v NINSO GLOBAL SDN. BHD. (Dahulunya dikenali sebagai “TCT Home Centre (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd)
13 October 2025
MYHC
wa-22ip-54-09-2021
SIEMENS INDUSTRY SOFTWARE INC v KB ENGINEERING COATINGS SDN BHD
17 November 2024
MYHC
wa-22ip-59-09-2020
ANTARA HOLIDAY VILLAS SDN. BHD. v TEDULOUS TRAVEL & tOURS SDN. BHD.
27 August 2024
MYHC
wa-22ip-63-10-2020
ADLEESYA BEAUTY SDN BHD v 1. ) NORDLEEZ ENTERPRISE 2. ) LIZAWATI BINTI RAFLIS
2 November 2023
MYHC
02f-85-11-2019w
Munchy Food Industries Sdn Bhd v Huasin Food Industries Sdn Bhd
4 October 2021
MYFC