MDEC HOPES TO DRIVE M`SIA TOWARDS IP MONETISATION

By Samantha Tan

KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 (Bernama) -- The Multimedia Development Corporation
(MDeC) hopes to drive the country towards the Intellectual Property (IP)
monetisation space.

"We have not done so yet, but are moving towards it. MDeC hopes to drive
this as we are pushing for IP Assessment and IP Connect, to create a
platform," said its Capability Development Department Manager, Samirah Muzaffar.

Samirah said there is a need for IP monetisation as it can be used to
generate money under licensing and for securing loans, adding that,
technology-based companies do not have physical properties but the value of
content.

"If they are able to put up the content as collateral, it would be great.
We are trying to change the mindset into looking at IP as a form of monetising,"
she told Bernama in an interview.

"If there is enough value in the IP, you can get loans based on it," she
explained.

According to Samirah, IP monetising has already been adopted in most
developed countries, like Australia.

She also explained that it is important to register the IP to make sure
others do not misuse it, while being able to generate revenue on IP
protection.

"If you do not create anything and utilise a foreign IP, money flows out. If
you own an IP, you can license it to others, thus generating income
for yourself and help stimulate the economy," she explained.

Samirah said MDeC plans to emulate the strategy adopted in other countries,
depending on local needs, adding that, awareness of IP registration is existent
but there is still confusion in terms of IP types.

"Registration of protection has always been the mark but we want to enhance
this," she said.

She explained that the value of an IP is maximised when it is exploited as
much as possible.

IP rights can be assigned, licensed or exploited strategically under an
equity-holding or joint-venture arrangement with a third party, to exploit the
exclusivity in return for royalty.

MDeC has since 2004, rolled out various programmes and IP related activities
for MSC Malaysia Status Companies.

It is aimed at catalysing the development and growth of an IP in line with
the government's aspiration for the country to move up the value chain to an
innovation-based economy.

Among the programmes are MSC Malaysia Research and Development Grant Scheme
(MGS), MSC Malaysia Capability Development Programme (CDP), and the MSC Malaysia
Researcher-Industry Attachment Programme.

All these form part of the MSC Malaysia Capability Development Programme IP
(CDP IP) initiatives.

-- BERNAMA