The hot issue about the famous Malay clothing brand, Elrah Exclusive, accused of copying a keris-patterned samping fabric, has finally gotten a response from its founder, El Azman.
After being bombarded by netizens since Tuesday, El Azman came forward with an explanation through a two-page official statement early Wednesday morning.
According to El Azman, the accusation is baseless, and he’s ready to take legal action if his brand’s reputation is harmed.
“Elrah Exclusive stresses that the claims against the Samping Raya Elrah Exclusive 2025 collection are baseless and lack solid legal ground. We are also prepared to take legal action if these claims damage Elrah Exclusive’s credibility,” he firmly stated.
He added that the keris motif isn’t owned exclusively by anyone because it has long existed in Malay culture and textile art.
“The keris motif isn’t the creation of one individual or specific family, but a heritage of Nusantara culture. Therefore, this motif cannot be claimed as the exclusive property of any party,” El Azman explained.
He also questioned the copyright registration by the party claiming ownership of the design.
“We found that the party claiming rights over this motif only registered the copyright in 2025. This means they only recently got protection and have no official proof they’ve owned this motif since 1890 as claimed.
“The keris motif used in our collection is our own interpretation, not a copy of any registered work. As long as it doesn’t exactly replicate a registered piece, it’s not a copyright violation,” he added.
Before this, popular influencer Tyra Kamaruzzaman claimed that the samping fabric design belonging to her husband, Emran Rijal, was copied by Elrah Exclusive, and she even shared a Copyright Certificate as proof. – BOOM!