Copyright Row Dap Rep Submits Plans For Pok Mon Mural

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The Kampar District Council (MDKPR) has confirmed that Kampar MP Chong Zhemin’s office has submitted applications to paint additional murals featuring characters from the popular Japanese anime franchise “Pokémon”.
The matter comes as the copyright dispute surrounding the “Dragon Ball” mural backed by Chong (above) remains unresolved.
In an email to Malaysiakini, MDKPR president Ahmad Suqairy Alias said the council received a second application from Chong’s office on May 7 to paint more murals.
The date is just one day after Chong and Keranji assemblyperson Angeline Koo unveiled a mural next to a DAP branch office at Jalan Pejabat Pos, Kampar, that featured anime characters from the “Dragon Ball” franchise and prompted a copyright dispute.
According to Suqairy, the second application seeks to paint murals on the walls of buildings number 80 and 82 on Jalan Idris, which is about five minutes’ walk from the “Dragon Ball” mural.
He said the application does not dwell on details of the proposed mural other than featuring “Pokémon” characters.
“Essentially, the Kampar MP’s office proposed drawing the Pokémon anime on buildings 80 and 82 Jalan Idris, and the council has no objections to the application and gives conditional approval,” Suqairy added without specifying what those were.
“Pokémon” is a Japanese multimedia franchise created by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures. It includes video games, animation, comics, card games, toys, and other merchandise.
The MDKPR is also promoting a project called Ilham Seni Kampar (Kampar Art Inspiration).
Suqairy said the council has appointed a team to paint murals, but the theme revolves around Kampar's distinctive features, tourist attractions, and products, and does not involve cartoon characters.
It is learnt that the walls next to buildings 80 and 82 Jalan Idris where Chong’s office plans to paint the “Pokémon” mural already feature murals under the Ilham Seni Kampar initiative, specifically a mural featuring a woman picking lotus flowers, and another featuring white water rafting.
Virtual Reality Anime City project
Suqairy clarified that the district council is not involved in the promotion of cartoon character murals or the Virtual Reality Anime City project spearheaded by Chong's office.
“The MDKPR has not received any application from Chong to jointly promote the Virtual Reality Anime City in Kampar,” he said.
He also emphasised that the district council only approved Chong to paint murals at the aforementioned locations, and it is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the mural’s contents do not infringe on any copyright.
Applicants must also obtain approval from the buildings’ owners.
The controversial “Dragon Ball” mural next to the Keranji DAP branch office is four stories tall with a surface area of about 150sqm.
The mural also has interactive features. By scanning a QR code next to it, visitors can use augmented reality to take a picture with one of the characters.
It is part of the Virtual Reality Anime City project initiated by Chong and Koo.
On May 6, they said they will create more murals like this featuring other anime characters as long as they can find suitable locations, in their bid to draw more tourists to Kampar.
Last week, however, Malaysia Creative Intellectual Property Association (MYCIP) president Lau Shaw Ming said that although the mural is not an admission-based attraction, its sheer scale requires authorisation from Japanese rights holders.
When contacted last week, Chong declined to comment while Koo said the question of whether there is infringement can be clarified by consulting a lawyer. - Mkini

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