Kuala lumpur: The Department of Polytechnic Education and Community Colleges (JPPKK) has won the Special Intellectual Property Empowerment Award at the National Intellectual Property Awards (AHIN) 2026, held recently here.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the recognition in the ministry, department and federal or state agency category for the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector came from the department's ongoing efforts to strengthen the intellectual property ecosystem. "This recognition stems from our ongoing commitment to strategically and comprehensively empowering the intellectual property ecosystem at the polytechnic and community college (POLYCC) level," it said.

"Between 2023 and 2025, 1,525 products were successfully filed and registered as intellectual property," the statement said. JPPKK said it has rolled out various high-impact initiatives to boost intellectual property development and empowerment, such as Patent Drafting Workshops (Direct Guidance), IP carnivals and forums, and strategic tie-ups through MoUs with the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO).

At AHIN 2026, Johor's Pagoh Community College also took gold in the InoReka (Industrial Design) category for its Pouch Sampul Warisan product, one of the college's commercial Batu Seremban Game Kit line. JPPKK said the product, which received 2025 funding under the TVET Applied Commercialisation Grant Scheme (T-ACGS), was successfully commercialised and well-received in the market, proving that heritage-inspired local innovations can deliver economic impact.

JPPKK said the achievement aligns with the Malaysia Higher Education Blueprint (RPTM) 2026-2035, which emphasises innovation culture, research commercialisation, and a stronger tech-talent ecosystem.