Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia – ALERT

On 29 April 2020, the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) issued a notice (read here). extending the closure of its operations until 12 May 2020. This is in line with the Prime Minister’s announcement on 23 April 2020 extending the movement control order to 12 May 2020.

We summarise the notice below:

General

01. MyIPO’s customer service counters across the country will close until the end of the movement control order and will not be accepting applications filed manually or other physical documents.

02. Deadlines for responding to office actions (e.g. appeals, oppositions and payments) falling within the period of closure are extended to1 June 2020.

03. Hearings for trademark, patent and industrial design matters during the period of closure will be postponed and rescheduled.

04. Programmes including seminars and workshops during the period of closure will be postponed and rescheduled.

05. Requests for certified true copies of documents will be unavailable.

Patents and Industrial Designs

06. MyIPO’s IP Online Search & Filing remains operational.

07. Filings for new PCT applications can be made via WIPO’s IP portal (see here). The guidance for creating an account can be found here).

08. Applications that are filed manually and involve priority dates which have expired (or will expire) during the period of closure may be filed by 18 May 2020.

09. Deadlines for renewing patents and utility innovations which fall within the period of closure are extended to 1 June 2020.

10. All renewal deadlines for industrial designs are extended to 1 June 2020.

Trademarks

11. MyIPO’s IP Online Search & Filing remains operational for only new trademark applications. Specifically, applications filed via the Madrid System will be unavailable.

12. Applications that are filed manually and involve priority dates which have expired (or will expire) during the period of closure may be filed by 18 May 2020.

13. Renewals for trademarks that have expired between 27 December 2019 and 31 May 2020 are extended to 1 June 2020.

14. The public is also referred to the Practice Direction No. 1/2020 (see here). which came into force on 24 April 2020. The Practice Direction sets out the procedure and requirements for payments made under the old Trade Marks Act 1976 and the present Trademarks Act 2019 through bank or interbank transfer.

Copyrights

15. Voluntary notifications of copyright will be unavailable.

Special Notice

As judicial and legal services are not essential services, our business premises will be closed and our lawyers and staff will be working remotely during the period of closure.

If you have any questions regarding the above or would like to reach us for a new matter or learn about our business continuity plans during the period of closure, please contact your relationship partner or lawyer in the usual way.