Kota Kinabalu: A better public awareness on intellectual property (IP) can cultivate a culture of respect, creativity, creation and innovation, said Intellectual Property Corp of Malaysia Board of Directors member Datuk Tham Nyip Shen. He said IP plays a huge role in the daily lives of people as it exists through brands, technology and designs in most consumer products, while some are just unique to certain geographical locations.
"This is why the country envisioned that IP is one of the fields which can bring Malaysia to modern country status by 2020," he said during a two-day awareness workshop organised in conjunction with MyIPO Open Day event, here.
However, this effort rests on the development of local small-medium enterprises (SMEs), most of the products of which are still limited to the local market, he said, on Tuesday.
And to break out and compete with international brands, Tham suggested 'product branding', adding that it will also help boost business revenue and eventually the national economy.
He also stressed on legal protection for local creations and brands through patent registration at MyIPO - the national IP regulator.
Tham also called on legal practitioners to assist in promoting the importance of patent registration, including becoming IP Agents for MyIPO.
Meanwhile, State MyIPO director Yusnieza Syarmila Yusoff said more legal practitioners are needed in the State to become IP agents and assist MyIPO to boost application.
She said they could also offer their services to patent owners including documentation, legal advice and some cases, which involve patent infringement.
She added that a special copyright court has also been set up in 2007 to handle such disputes.
To date MyIPO only has about three IP agents and a legal officer.
They also need to take tests to pass as an IP agent, for example trademark has three stages which a certified attorney, needs to take," she explained.
Meanwhile, the two-day workshop is being attended by SMEs, SMEs under the supervision of government agencies, Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers members from around the city on the first day and legal practitioners on the second day.
