Editor,

RE: "Time to take copyrights seriously” (The New Times, December 10).

Thanks for the interest in IP (intellectual property) and the information given, even if you didn’t take any initiative to consult the IP bureau in RDB to discuss on its progress since the law was published in 2009. First of all, brands are protected under the industrial property system, not copyright. The intellectual property system has two main branches, which are the industrial property, comprising the protection of trademark, invention, innovation, industrial design, layout design and geographical indication.

The second branch comprises the protection of literature and artistic works.

The exclusive rights of IP are ensured by a registration mechanism in RDB, which means that any products or brands on the market not registered in the office of the registrar general doesn’t have a protection, except, when it’s become a well known brand (determined by a court or the ministry in charge of trade).

I agree with you that many brands are introduced in the market without registration and some of them are a copy of existing well-known brands abroad. Government should in put more effort to educate the local business community and prevent the unfair competition.

Blaise