Abstract

Since the mid 1990s, Indonesia has significantly reformed its intellectual property laws. These reforms were effected to bring Indonesia’s laws into line with the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPs) Agreement, which requires WTO members to provide minimum standards of intellectual property protection within their domestic legal systems. However, many features of Indonesia’s economic, social, cultural and legal order appear to contradict fundamental precepts of intellectual property. This article argues that, at this stage in its development at least, Indonesia’s best interests are not particularly well served by the higher levels of protection required under TRIPs.