Singapore legislation

Clause 36

of Copyright (Amendment) Bill

Clause 36

Amendment of section 136

Section 136 of the Copyright Act is amended —

(a)

by inserting, immediately after subsection (3), the following subsection:“(3A) Where, at any time when copyright subsists in a work ––

(a)

a person does any act that constitutes an infringement of the copyright in a work other than an act referred to in subsection (1), (2), (3) or (6);

(b)

the infringement of the copyright in the work by the person is wilful; and

(c)

either or both of the following apply:

(i)

the extent of the infringement is significant;

(ii)

the person does the act to obtain a commercial advantage,the person shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $20,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both and, in the case of a second or subsequent offence, to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years or to both.”;

(b)

by inserting, immediately after subsection (6), the following subsections:“(6A) For the purposes of subsection (3A)(c)(i), in determining whether the extent of the infringement is significant, the court shall have regard to —

(a)

the volume of any articles that are infringing copies;

(b)

the value of any articles that are infringing copies;

(c)

whether the infringement has a substantial prejudicial impact on the owner of the copyright; and

(d)

all other relevant matters.(6B) For the purposes of subsection (3A)(c)(ii), a person does an act for the purpose of obtaining a commercial advantage if the act is done to obtain a direct advantage, benefit or financial gain for a business or trade carried on by him.”;

(c)

by inserting, immediately after the words “this section” in subsection (7), the words “(other than subsection (3A))”;

(d)

by deleting the word “predominantly” in subsection (8); and

(e)

by deleting subsection (9) and substituting the following subsection:“(9) If information is given upon oath to a court that there is reasonable cause for suspecting that there is in any premises any article or document which is evidence that an offence under subsection (1), (2), (3), (3A) or (4) has been committed, the court may issue, either unconditionally or subject to such conditions as the court thinks fit, a warrant authorising a police officer to enter and search the premises for the articles and documents which are specified in the warrant, whether specifically or in any general category, and to seize any such articles and documents found at the premises.”.