SMA warns of legal action against unlawful reproduction, use of Sukma Sarawak 2024 logo, mascot

Satria (fourth right) and Satrina in a group photo with others at Plaza Merdeka on July 14, 2024. Photo credit: Ukas

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, July 30: Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) has ordered individuals and entities to immediately cease and desist any unauthorised use of the logo and mascot of Sukma XXI Sarawak 2024 or face the law for copyright infringement.

SMA general manager Dato Dr Anderson Tiong warned that the authority will not hesitate to pursue legal remedies under the civil and criminal law without prior reference or notice.

This warning came as SMA has identified instances of unauthorised use of the logo and mascot of the upcoming Malaysian Games, or Sukma, by certain parties.

“The logo and mascot of Sukma XXI Sarawak 2024 have been duly registered pursuant to the statutory requirements of Section 26B of the Copyright Act 1987 (Act 332).

“By virtue of Section 10 (1)(i) of Sarawak Multimedia Authority Ordinance, 2017, SMA is registered as the rightful owner of logo and mascot of Sukma XXI Sarawak 2024,” he said in a statement today.

Tiong emphasised that any unauthorised use of logo and mascot constitutes as an infringement of SMA’s intellectual property rights under the Act.

“SMA takes these infringements seriously and is committed to protecting its intellectual property rights,” he added.

Unauthorised use includes, but not limited to, reproduction in any material form, performance, display, distribution to the public, making for sale or rent any infringing copy, and selling or offering for sale or rent any infringing copy.

Other infringements include distributing infringing copies, possessing infringing copies for non-private use, exhibiting infringing copies in public by way of trade, and making or possessing any device used for creating infringing copies.

Tiong reminded the public to abstain from willfully committing any of the above-mentioned acts. Failure to comply will results in individuals and/or entities shall be directly and/or vicariously liable for copy infringement. — DayakDaily