The government is currently refining the draft amendments to three Acts as it moves towards ratifying the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), said Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Lim Ban Hong.

He said the Attorney-General’s Chambers is refining the draft amendments to the Patents Act 1983, Copyright Act 1987 and Trademarks Act 2019, which are under the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry, and these are expected to be tabled in Parliament at the end of the year.

"To complete the RCEP ratification process, these Acts need to be amended. This is necessary to ensure that they are in line with Malaysia’s obligations and commitments under the RCEP agreement,” he said during the Dewan Rakyat’s question-and-answer session here today.

He was replying to Senator Lim Hui Ying, who wanted to be updated on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and RCEP, as well as on the government’s interest to continue negotiations at this time.

Ban Hong explained that RCEP was signed by 15 countries -- 10 ASEAN member states and five ASEAN dialogue partners including Australia, China, South Korea, Japan, and New Zealand -- on Nov 15 last year.

Source: The Star

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