Dr Bernard Ong, Ipos’s director of the international engagement department, told The Straits Times: “What it means for a firm is that if they have business interests in Singapore and Cambodia, the whole process is cut short, and you save a lot of time and costs. You don’t have to pay translation fees and all those things.”

This could also encourage investors to invest in both countries, as patent grants can eventually lead to products being commercialised in a quicker manner, he added.

Cambodia is also on its way to be part of the Patent Cooperation Treaty, so Ipos said “the steady continuity in intellectual property (IP) cooperation between both countries is testament to the progressive integration and development of IP within Asean”.

Singapore and Cambodia had signed a memorandum of understanding last January to cooperate on IP protection and help develop the region’s IP ecosystem.

Ipos chief executive Daren Tang said: “We will continue to share and develop business-friendly and efficient IP processes for creators and entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and gain a competitive edge in Asean.”