RANAU: Sabah has emerged as one of the main contributors to Malaysia’s Geographical Indication (GI) portfolio, with 31 of 130 registered GI products originating from the State, as of April.
Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the achievement reflects Sabah’s strong potential in developing high-value products rooted in local identity, heritage and geographical uniqueness.
He said among Sabah’s GI products that have established their own market identity are Sabah Tea, Tenom Coffee, Borneo Virgin Coconut Oil, Sabah Seaweed, Tawau Cocoa, Tambunan Ginger and Sabah Batik.
“Geographical Indication has become one of the most strategic intellectual property instruments in developing an economy based on the identity, reputation and uniqueness of local products.
“It also serves as an economic mechanism that positions local products as premium, high-value goods in both domestic and international markets,” he said when officiating the Intellectual Property (IP) roadshow programme together with MyIPO (Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia) at Sabah Tea, here, Sunday.
He said this new initiative via the programme serves as an approach to identify and empower the potential of local products that can be protected and commercialised more strategically as intellectual property assets.
“Ownership of intellectual property in various forms, such as Geographical Indication (GI) protection, trademarks, patents and copyrights, is capable of enhancing the competitiveness of local products in both domestic and international markets.
“Today’s Intellectual Property Roadshow involves Sabah Tea, a product produced by a local company, has obtained Geographical Indication (GI) protection and is among the earliest examples of the successful utilisation of intellectual property instruments in Sabah to protect the identity of products based on geographical origin in Malaysia.
“Sabah Tea, which started its tea production and processing in 1978 on 6,200 acres surrounded by tropical rainforest aged more than 130 million years old, is not only involved in tea production, but has also developed a business ecosystem encompassing the hospitality sector, experiential tourism and downstream products that leverage the identity and reputation of its geographical origin,” he said.
He added that the Ministry, through the MyIPO, is committed to strengthening intellectual property protection and expanding opportunities for local communities and entrepreneurs to commercialise their products more strategically.
In line with the potential for developing intellectual property assets based on Sabah’s local identity, Armizan said KPDN through MyIPO is developing a comprehensive and structured intellectual property protection mechanism, including the establishment of the Sabah Intellectual Property Development Plan 2026-2030.
“This effort is part of the agenda to strengthen an innovation- and intellectual property-based economy through enhanced IP protection, development of IP valuation, IP-based financing and the expansion of market access for local products through Sabah’s strategic branding.
“At the same time, the plan will focus on developing a more integrated intellectual property ecosystem, including identifying new GIs for high-value products such as highland agricultural produce, seaweed and handicrafts by local communities.
“This step is also aimed at ensuring that Sabah’s biodiversity wealth, cultural heritage and local wisdom can be translated into economic resources that directly benefit the people,” he said.
