JPJ Director-General ordered to pay RM40,000 for "MADANI" plate copyright infringement

A Malaysian High Court has ruled that the Director-General of the Road Transport Department (JPJ) infringed the copyright of the "MADANI" number plate's creator. The court ordered the JPJ chief to pay RM40,000 in statutory and additional damages, along with RM25,000 in costs.

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This judgment shows that intellectual property rights are not diminished simply because the alleged infringer is a public authority.

Lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan, representing businessman Hasan Azhari Hashim, the Director of Ilham Madani Sdn. Bhd., stated that the judgment upholds the principle that intellectual property rights are not diminished when a public authority is involved. "Copyright belongs to its creator, and the law applies equally to everyone and every institution, including the government," Nagarajan said in a statement.

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Copyright belongs to its creator, and the law applies equally to everyone and every institution, including the government.

The ruling emphasizes that public authorities are expected to uphold the law, which includes compliance with Malaysia's copyright legislation. Hasan Azhari Hashim had sought recognition that his creative work deserves legal protection and should not be used without permission. The court's decision affirms this principle.

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Our client never intended to prevent the government from introducing initiatives that benefit the public. What he sought was recognition that creative works deserve legal protection and cannot be taken without permission.

This case follows a previous legal action where Hasan Azhari Hashim issued a letter of demand seeking RM1.3 million in damages for alleged intellectual property infringement related to the "MADANI" number plate sales. The JPJ had previously reported that the "MADANI" series special registration number bid recorded RM2.62 million in collections.

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The High Court has now upheld that principle.