PUTRAJAYA, 24 April 2026 – The Sabah Ministry of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport (MINDET) has finalised a strategic collaboration with the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) to strengthen intellectual property (IP) protection among entrepreneurs and communities in Sabah.
MINDET Minister, who is also Sabah Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Ewon Benedick said the collaboration is crucial to ensure intellectual property registration becomes a core component in the development of the state’s industrial, entrepreneurship and community social enterprise sectors.
“The collaboration will begin with MINDET officers and its agencies undergoing specialised training at the Intellectual Property Academy. This will be followed by awareness programmes on the importance of intellectual property protection for Sabah entrepreneurs,” he said.
He added that the training is important to enhance their understanding of the Malaysian Intellectual Property Corporation (MyIPO), enabling them to provide accurate advice to entrepreneurs on IP registration and protection.
Ewon also stated that he will study a proposal to establish a dedicated intellectual property unit within MINDET to coordinate all related initiatives at the state level.
He made the remarks after a meeting with KPDN Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali in Putrajaya today.
During the same visit, Ewon toured the MyIPO Intellectual Property Academy and held discussions with its Director General, Yusnieza Syarmila Yusoff, on the implementation of specialised training programmes for MINDET officers and its agencies.
“Every entrepreneurial product development in Sabah — whether it involves industry and innovation, food and beverage (F&B) or social enterprises — must include intellectual property registration. This requires targeted exposure and training for ministry and agency officers in Sabah, along with awareness programmes involving entrepreneurs and communities,” Ewon emphasised.
He expressed appreciation for MyIPO’s readiness and commitment in finalising this collaboration.
According to a MyIPO briefing, a total of 3,941 intellectual property applications were received in Sabah from 2021 to March 2026, with 3,349 registrations recorded as of December 2025.
To date, 31 Geographical Indication (GI) products have been registered in Sabah, including Amplang, Kopi Tenom, Belacan Papar, Sabah Tea, Piyutu Sandakan and Liking Kota Belud. However, six of these are currently inactive as they have not been renewed.
The MINDET-KPDN-MyIPO collaboration is expected to serve as a major catalyst in protecting and maximising the value of intellectual property for Sabah entrepreneurs, thereby supporting more competitive economic growth in the state.
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