KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 — If there is something that gets Malaysians buzzing on social media, it usually involves topics about the local political scene, a must-try dish at a new café or restaurant, a new holiday destination and of course topics which involve elements of controversy.

There has been no shortage of the latter throughout the years and in case you are not in the loop of some of these issues, here they are.

1. Standing in a parking spot to reserve it 

Let’s put a stop to this behaviour. – Picture from Facebook/Jason Ong

You might have been the victim of this; you think you have found a parking spot, only to find a person standing over it. Or perhaps, you have been guilty of this yourself?

This year alone, three such incidents went viral on social media.

The first in March, where a Facebook user shared a photo of a woman standing in the middle of a parking spot to reserve it while in August a similar incident occurred at a different shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur.

The third incident took place on Friday, November 23 despite the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) announcement in September on their Facebook page reminding Malaysians that it is a criminal offence to do so and offenders can expect a RM2,000 fine or even jail time.

2. Director sues fellow Malaysian for uploading his latest film on social media

Yusof said this would serve as a reminder to fellow Malaysians. — Picture by Choo Choy May

In mid-October, local director and producer Syamsul Yusof decided to take legal action against the person who uploaded his movie Munafik 2 on his Facebook and Instagram while it was still being screened in Malaysian cinemas.

Section 43 of the Copyright Act 1987 makes it clear for social media-lovers that any person who operates an audiovisual recording device in a screening room to record any film in whole or in part shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine of not less than 10,000 ringgit and not more than one 100,000 ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both.

3. The bubble tea war — Tealive vs Chatime

Finally an end to the saga. – Picture from Facebook/TealiveAsia

Loob Holding Sdn Bhd (the former master franchisee of Chatime) and La Kaffa (the brand owner of Chatime) made headlines when Loob lost the franchise in 2017 because of several alleged contract infringements.

The former franchisee expeditiously made a comeback by rebranding itself as Tealive, competing directly with Chatime.

Thus, began the legal tussle between Chatime and Tealive from the High Court right up to the Federal Court. In Round One, La Kaffa failed to obtain an injunction to stop Loob from using the Tealive brand but this was subsequently reversed by the Court of Appeal in mid-2018.

Barely a couple of months later, it was reported that Loob Holding Sdn Bhd can continue serving its Tealive brand of bubble tea after securing, at the Federal Court, a stay of execution of an injunction against it.

It all ended a month later when both parties agreed to a confidential out-of-court settlement.

4. Sephora copycat in Kelantan?

Familiar much? – Picture from Facebook/Fatin Amirah Zaabar

No Sephora in Kelantan? No problem. Introducing Sefarra, a boutique cosmetics store owned by Farra Fareez since October last year.

However — just like the name — the packaging style and even the outlet's storefront carries the exact look of popular cosmetic store, Sephora.

Malaysians criticised Sefarra and there’s no denying the resemblance.

What next?

5. Billion Dollar Whale

The most controversial book of the year? Maybe the decade? – Picture by Hari Anggara

Even before the book reached bookstores on September 18, it was already famous.

Up to the point that lawyers representing fugitive entrepreneur Low Taek Jho, known to many as Jho Low, tried to prevent bookshops in the UK from carrying the book which chronicles the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal with threats of defamation lawsuits.

The book written by Wall Street Journal’s Bradley Hope and Tom Wright was blocked from distribution in the UK after a sustained legal campaign by London-based law firm Schillings.

Besides that, Wright also said there was "no agreement" with Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown on the reporting of the 1MDB scandal.

Rewcastle-Brown accused Wright of not crediting Sarawak Report despite promising to do so and compromising the safety of her anonymous sources.

Accusations aside, the book is set to be turned into a movie, with no confirmed date of release yet.

6. Uncanny resemblance? Anas vs Nars

Truly original it seems. — Picture from Instagram

Some Malaysians struggle to come up with a product of their own, so the easiest way to make a mark is to clone the image of a renowned brand.

In November last year, reports surfaced on local make-up brand Anas, who created a rather similar logo and packaging style to French cosmetics company Nars.

And just like Kelantan’s Sefarra, Malaysians took to social media in disbelief.

Some of the above situations such as Anas, Sefarra and Tealive’s cases all involve Intellectual Property (IP), a property right that includes copyright, trademarks, patents and industrial designs, and is protected under Malaysian law.

IP rights are rights to "intangible property” as they accord owners with the legal right to exclude others from using and the exclusive right to transfer ownership of a property that has no physical substance.

Regardless, one can refer to Henry Goh for any consultation on IP (patent, trade mark, copyright, and industrial design) issues.

This article is brought to you by Henry Goh & Co.