Intellectual Property assistant Dewina Khatizatul Janisa Jamain briefs the students during the awareness programme yesterday.
Goh Ai Mei
KUCHING: The level of awareness among Malaysians of the need to protect their inventions and innovations is extremely low.
Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) assistant registrar Goh Ai Mei said yesterday that many people were not even aware of the existence of MyIPO, which was established specifically to help individuals and companies register their intellectual properties.
“A lot of people don’t know they have to register their intellectual properties to enable them to claim exclusive rights over their inventions and innovations.
“Problem starts when others imitate their work and claim them as theirs. When that happen, it will be difficult to mount a challenge.
“In view of this, we are holding awareness programmes to educate the public about their rights and the functions of MyIPO,” she told reporters at the Intellectual Properties Awareness Programme held at SMK Green Road here.
She was representing state MyIPO director Vincent Lejau. Goh said the same programme was held at SMK Nangka in Sibu last April 14, followed by another at SMK Bekenu in Miri a week later.
On the number of applications received for intellectual properties’ rights in Sarawak, she noted it was on the rise, especially for business trademarks and copyrights.
From 2011 till last month, Goh said MyIPO received 1,208 such applications from Sarawak.
Of the total, 995 were for business trademarks, 34 (utility innovation and patent), 11 (industrial design), 26 (geographical indication) and 142 (copyright).
For copyright, Goh said, the owners need not have to register their work. Voluntary notifications will do.
“Unlike trademarks, utility innovation and patents, industrial designs and geographical indications, which have to be registered to get exclusive rights over the properties, copyright need not be registered. Copyright owners can notify us if they want to on a voluntary basis.”