Only four local inventions have been patented in 11 years

Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Millions of Indonesians are familiar with and traditionally used to eating tempe, a fermented soybean cake. But surprisingly its patent belongs to Japan.

Many plants and species originating in Indonesia have also been patented by other countries, including aquila, a family of eel, which is an original fish from Kalimantan.

While their counterparts abroad win respect and earn a lot from their research and inventions, Indonesian scientists are happy enough with publication of their work, the head of planning and finance bureau at the Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI), Rochadi Abdulhadi, said.

"Our researchers' awareness on patents is considerably low," Rochadi told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

He said only four inventions proposed by LIPI researchers had been patented since 1992, with 64 in the process.

The patented inventions are made of alkali ether, salt, ceramic concrete, nickel laterite and guidance for people driving four-wheel drive vehicles with dark window film.

Rochadi said the biggest obstacle was with the inventors themselves.

He admitted that to propose a patent, an inventor needed to prepare a kind of thesis and wait for years until the patent is granted.

"It might also cost some money, of course, while some inventions are not for commercial purpose. Some inventors say they do not want to spend too much money on a patent for inventions which are not profitable," he said.

Financing has become a serious problem in doing research in the country, which will later affect the patenting process of an invention, said Rochadi.

"With a very limited budget, while in fact we have many opportunities of doing research, we are forced to cooperate with foreign countries as they have the money. At first this is very good but when it comes to inventions, there are always a problem on who will have the right for the patent," he said.

To make matters worse, the government's commitment to research is questionable as evidenced by its decision to slash the budget allocated for LIPI. The ongoing budget for LIPI stands at Rp 130 billion (US$15.3 million), a drop of Rp 20 billion compared to last year.

Rochadi said that despite the obstacles, LIPI had always taken the moral responsibility to promote patented inventions among researchers.

"We need to keep them aware of patents, otherwise their work will be a waste of money and energy if their inventions are patented by other countries," he said.

The has been an increase in the number of researchers seeking to patent their inventions in the past five years, Rochadi said. From only four inventions proposed for patents, the figure steadily increased to 16 in 2001.

Most of the inventions proposed for patents are related to chemistry, he said.

LIPI will take the momentum of its eighth National Science Congress next week to build awareness of patenting among researchers.

The congress, scheduled to run from Sept. 9 to Sept. 11. is expected to gather researchers, either from LIPI or other institutions, and industry to discuss the future of sciences in the country.

Rochadi, who is also the chairman of the congress, said he expected the researchers would also discuss more on patent, although it is not listed on the agenda.

On the closing of the congress, a declaration is expected to be signed to encourage researchers to do more for the science development in the country.