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http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090908/...t-3fd0ae9.html

Fast food giant McDonald's has lost an eight-year trademark battle against a Malaysian curry restaurant after a court allowed the latter to use the prefix 'Mc'. The country's Federal Court dismissed a bid by McDonald's Corporation to overturn an Appeals Court ruling that allowed McCurry to keep its name.

McDonald's had failed to properly frame its questions when applying to challenge the Appeals Court's earlier verdict, Chief Judge of Malaya Ariffin Zakaria said.

"It is unfortunate that we have to dismiss the application with costs," the judge said.

McCurry, which is short for "Malaysian Chicken Curry", serves Malaysian staples including fish head curry, according to the company website.

"We feel great that this eight-year legal battle is finally over, and we can now go ahead with whatever we plan to do, such as opening new branches," McCurry owner P Suppiah said.

McDonald's, which has 185 outlets in Malaysia, first sued the curry restaurant in 2001 and a High Court ruled in favour of the international fast food chain in 2006.

McCurry then took the matter up to the Court of Appeal, which backed the Malaysian restaurant.

McDonald's subsequently took the matter to the Federal Court.

The McDonald's operation in the south east Asian country is run as a franchise by prominent businessman Vincent Tan.