WIPO To Appoint MyIPO Officer As ASEAN Visiting Fellow
PETALING JAYA, Sept 23 (Bernama) -- The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has agreed to appoint an officer from the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) as an ASEAN visiting fellow at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the appointment would contribute to data-driven research on the innovation ecosystem and evaluate the impact of policies on innovative activities, thereby strengthening regional expertise in innovation economics and intellectual property.
He added that WIPO has also invited patent officers, patent professionals and government agencies seeking to enhance their patent drafting skills in line with international standards to take part in the WIPO International Patent Drafting Training Programme.
Armizan said this included the Inventor Assistance Programme (IAP), which offers individual inventors and small enterprises the opportunity to obtain professional guidance on a pro bono basis throughout the patent application process.
“This initiative benefits patent professionals by enhancing their patent drafting skills and strengthening the reputation of their services, while at the same time helping to improve the quality of local patent applications and reinforce the country’s innovation ecosystem,” he said in a statement today.
Earlier, MyIPO and WIPO signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in the field of intellectual property and innovation, with a focus on developing the country’s patent system.
The MoU was signed by MyIPO director-general Yusnieza Syarmila Yusoff and WIPO director-general Daren Tang Heng Shim, witnessed by Armizan at Menara MyIPO here today.
Armizan said the MoU was part of efforts to ensure that Malaysia’s intellectual property and innovation ecosystem continues to grow and remain globally competitive.
“Through this MoU, MyIPO and WIPO will enhance cooperation and knowledge exchange, including expanding training and capacity building, strengthening the enforcement of intellectual property rights, and providing technical support and assistance,” he said.
In addition, Malaysia and WIPO agreed to explore various strategic collaborations, including participation in the ASEAN Patent Analytics Project, which highlights the success of local innovations such as the MyB Prosthetic Limb technology on the global stage.
Armizan said Malaysia would also play an active role in the ASEAN Lab2Market Project to drive the commercialisation of university innovations, as well as the ASEAN IP Financing Project, which develops methodologies and financing instruments based on intellectual property in collaboration with financial institutions.
He said the ministry believed the strategic collaboration would serve as an important catalyst in positioning Malaysia as a proactive nation in the empowerment of intellectual property, in line with the Malaysia MADANI aspiration to drive a sustainable, knowledge-based economy and innovation.
-- BERNAMA
