Patents for Malacca’s unique trishaws
By Jason Gerald John
New Straits Times
Monday, Jun 10, 2013
MALACCA – THE famed Beca Melaka (trishaw) which have been plying the Historical City since the 1920s will soon be patented by the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO).
The move to patent the Beca Melaka is aimed at preventing the unique designs and decorations, which differ from one trishaw to another, from being reproduced.
State Agriculture and Entrepreneur Development chairman Datuk Hasan Abdul Rahman said each trishaw was unique in its own way as the decorations and lights on the pedal-powered three-wheelers spoke for the innovation and creativity of the owner.
“A patent gives the owner an exclusive right to stop others from manufacturing, using or selling the owner’s invention in Malaysia without the owner’s consent or permission.
“There are some 250 beca under the Persatuan Beca Pelancongan Negeri Melaka (PBPNM) in the state, which are used mainly for tourism purposes. We want each and every one of them to be patented to protect this unique heritage.
“PBPNM mooted this idea to protect their innovative creation through MyIPO and the state government fully supported this move,” he said after launching the Beca Melaka Parade, held in conjunction with National Intellectual Property Day 2013 and the International Melaka River Festival at the Melaka River Square in Jalan Merdeka here yesterday.
Present were MyIPO chairman, Datuk Abdul Manan Ismail, MyIPO director-general, Datuk Azizan Mohamad Sidin, and PBPNM chairman, Capt (Rtd) Khalid Ahmad.
Hasan said that with the patent, each trishaw rider could also reap numerous benefits including monetary gains through the right marketing strategy, sales of patent, licensing and franchising, not only locally but in other parts of the world as well.
On a related matter, Hasan called on trishaw riders to continue preserving the tradition of providing trishaw services to tourists as well as help promote the state’s tourism industry.