Dr Noor Hisham Wants To Sue Herbal Tea Brand For Using His Name To Promote Their Products
He accused the company of "irresponsible marketing".
By May Vin Ang — 22 Nov 2023, 11:05 AM
Former health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah is looking to sue Koong Woh Tong, a brand that sells Chinese traditional herbal jelly and herbal teas, after finding an outlet using his name and image to promote their products
"This is another [act of] irresponsible marketing using my name and photos by Koong Woh Tong, intended to cheat the public," he wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, on Saturday, 18 November.
"What a shameful act. It leaves me no choice but to take Koong Woh Tong to court," he said, adding that it would be a lesson to other companies.
Noor Hisham posted photos showing that the outlet had displayed newspaper clippings featuring his name and image, apparently encouraging people to "drink herbal tea to reduce the risk of infection".
One of the clippings seemed to be based on a speech he made as health director-general during the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, Noor Hisham said it is misleading to link his speech with the company's products, especially without his prior authorisation
"How much do you think I should sue them?" he tweeted, adding that if he won the claim, he could share his winnings with some non-governmental organisations.
His tweet has gotten the support of netizens, who encouraged him to claim at least RM1 million in damages to deter Koong Woh Tong and other companies from using his name again in unauthorised and misleading advertising in the future.
