Trademarks

A trademark is a sign capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one enterprise from those of other enterprises. Trademarks should be registered under the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) to ensure that trademark owners have exclusive rights and legal evidence. Trademark registration is valid for 10 years from the date of application.

Patents

A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention. After the grant of patent is obtained from MyIPO, the patent owner has the right to decide how – or whether – the invention can be used by others. In exchange for this right, the patent owner makes technical information about the invention publicly available in the published patent document.

Copyright

Copyright is an exclusive right owned by the owners over their creative works. Works covered by copyright range from books, music, paintings, sculpture and films, to computer programs, databases, advertisements, maps and technical drawings. Copyright owners will enjoy legal rights, economic rights and moral rights.

Industrial Designs

An industrial design constitutes three-dimensional features, such as the shape or surface of an article, or of two-dimensional features, such as patterns, lines or colour by any industrial process. A registered design owner will have exclusive rights to deal with any article that the design is applied on. Five years of protection is initially provided from the date of filing.

Geographical Indications

Geographical indications and appellations of origin are signs used on goods that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities, a reputation or characteristics that are essentially attributable to that place of origin. Most commonly, a geographical indication includes the name of the place of origin of the goods. A registered geographical indication is given 10 years of protection.