Neelofa's mother cancels plan to trademark Harimau Menangis

14 Jan –Businesswoman Datin Noor Kartini Noor Mohamed, the mother of celebrity Neelofa, recently announced that she has decided not to proceed with registering the trademark of the product Harimau Menangis.

The businesswoman, who sparked backlash recently after revealing that she will be making the application to the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) under her brand Aunty Tini Kitchen; despite the fact that the phrase itself has been used by many businesses prior to Kartini's own use. Many expressed worries that they will not be able to use the words anymore if it were to be trademarked.

"I have realised the mistake and hope that today's statement will clear everything up. I have decided to cancel the trademark application for the phrase 'Harimau Menangis' as soon as possible. The original objective of the application was to protect my brand, as well as to protect my agents from issues deriving from fake goods," she said.

Kartini stressed that it was not her intention to deny others of being involved in the same business, and hopes that the issue will no longer be debated.

She also prayed for everybody's well-being during the pandemic, stating, "Stay safe and stay at home".

In a previous interview, the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) chairman Datuk Mohamad Alamin stressed that the agency maintained a "first-to-file" basis for trademark applications, but that aggrieved parties have the right to voice objections.

'Daging Harimau Menangis', which derives from the Thai delicacy known as Sua Rong Hai (or Crying Tiger Beef), is actually the bottom sirloin part of the beef. The Thai and Malay names came from the notion that the placement of the meat below the cow's hip bones would prevent a tiger's mouth from reaching it and thus "saddened the tiger".