From patent office to court room - 25 years of independent patent law in Malaysia

01-08-2011

Dave Wyatt

The Malaysian Patents Act 1983 entered into force on October 1, 1986 and will be 25 years old later this year.

The Malaysian Patents Act 1983 entered into force on October 1, 1986 and will be 25 years old later this year. The Act marked the introduction of the country’s independent patent law, which replaced the earlier system of re-registering UK patents. The country has progressed remarkably over this 25-year period, and the intellectual property scene is no exception.

Since the Patents Act came into force, and as of May 2011, more than 109,000 patent applications have been filed and more than 43,000 have been granted. The Act was amended significantly in 1993, 2001 and 2006 to modernise and keep it in line with changing international standards and obligations.

2003 was a significant year in that it saw the formation of the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO). The corporation is fully autonomous in its administration and finance. Its establishment facilitated a great expansion in the workforce and manpower of the patent registry.


Malaysia, Patents Act 1983, MyIPO, PCT, patent litigation

WIPR