16 August 2006 is a significant date for the Malaysian and International business community as this was the date in which Malaysia’s accession to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) became in force.
The PCT system is a system which renders patent filing in numerous countries more effective and economical. It has to be stressed that the PCT system is not a system which grants international patents or world patents. There is no such universal protection system which gives patent protection in every country in the world merely by one single filing. Instead, the final responsibility of granting patents remains exclusively with the Patent Office in each respective member country.