COPYRIGHT

(PART II)

DR MA KALTHUM ISHAK
AZMAN HASHIM INTERNATIONAL
BUSINESS SCHOOL
Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)
 Authorship &
Ownership

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 INTRODUCTION

JOINT
AUTHORSHIP
AUTHORSHIP

LITERARY, MUSICAL AND

ARTISTIC WORK

FILM, SOUND
RECORDINGS,
BROADCAST
 Introduction

The person who creates the work is the author

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company & Anor v

Siverstone Tire and Rubber Co Sdn Bhd
[1993] 2 AMR 3538

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 AND ARTISTIC WORK
LITERARY, MUSICAL
Literary

Musical

Artistic

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

  S. 3: the writer or the maker of the work
 The person who records the work is also the maker
provided he has given additional specific contribution
A) Literary
 Robin Ray v Classic FM plc
 Walter v Lane

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 S. 3: Author is the composer

Oxford Dic: composer is a person who writes music

Situation: musical accompaniment is written by another person as background

support for a musical part.

B) Musical Issue: Whether there is a single musical copyright in the resulting work or
whether a separate musical copyright attach to the author of musical
instrument?
Case: Rock Records (M) Sdn Bhd v Audio One Entertainment Sdn Bhd

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

C) Artistic

S. 3:
in relation to artistic works other than photographs, means the artist
in relation to photographs, means the person by whom the arrangements for the taking of
the photograph were undertaken

Sherinna Nur Elena Bt Abdullah v Kent Well Edar [2011] MLJU 454

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 Film, Sound
Recordings,
Broadcast

Film, Sound
Broadcast
Recordings

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

  S. 3: means the person by whom the
arrangements for the making of the film or
recording were undertaken
 Emphasis on the person who makes the
A) Film, Sound arrangements undertaken
Recordings  Rock Records (M) Sdn Bhd v Audio One
Entertainment Sdn Bhd

 Can also refer to body corporate

 Creative Purpose Sdn Bd & Anor v Integrated
Trans Corp Sdn Bhd & Ors

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

  S.3: in relation to broadcasts transmitted from
within any country, means—
 the person transmitting the programme, if he has
responsibility for the selection of its contents; or
 any person providing the programme who makes
B) Broadcast with the person transmitting it the arrangements
necessary for its transmission

 MediaCorp News Pte Ltd & Ors v

MediaBanc (JB) Sdn Bhd & Ors

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 Joint Authorship

 S. 3: means a work produced by the collaboration of two or more authors in

which the contribution of each author is not separable from the contribution of
the other author or authors.
 Prerequisites:
 Must have been produced by the collaboration of 2 or more authors; and
 Contribution is not separable from the contribution of the other authors; and
 Must be shown that each author has expended skill and sufficient effort to make his
contribution original in character

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 Ownership
V
Authorship
Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)
  S. 26. (1): Copyright conferred by section 10 shall vest initially in the author.
 Exception:
 is commissioned by a person who is not the author’s employer under a contract of service or
apprenticeship; or
 not having been so commissioned, is made in the course of the author’s employment
 Radion Trading Sdn Bhd v Sin Besteam Equipment Sdn Bhd

the copyright shall be deemed to be transferred to the person who commissioned the work or the author’s
employer, subject to any agreement between the parties excluding or limiting such transfer.

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 Employer and employee relationship

 How to determine the relationship?

 Written contract
 Absence of written contract?

 Whether a person is an employee?

 Megnaway Enterprise Sdn Bhd v Soon Lian Hock
 Hexagon Tower Sdn Bhd v Polydamic Holdings Sdn Bhd & 3 Ors

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 Work made in the course of employment

 Issues:
 Whether the skill and effort exerted in the creation of a work are part of the employee’s
normal duties?
 Stephenson Jordan & Harrison Ltd v Macdonald

 Whether the work was made during normal working hour?

 Eg: journalist who is employed by a newspaper writes an article during office hours to be
published in the newspaper

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 Proving ownership

Affidavit Register of
or SD copyright

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 1) Affidavit of SD

 42. (1) An affidavit, or statutory declaration made before any person having
authority to administer oath by or on behalf of any person claiming to be—
 the owner of the copyright in any works eligible for copyright under this Act stating that—
 at the time specified herein copyright subsisted in such work;
 he or the person named therein is the owner of the copyright; and
 a copy of the work annexed thereto is the true copy thereof; or

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 1) Affidavit of SD

 42. (1) Surat pernyataan, atau pernyataan menurut undang-undang yang dibuat
di hadapan setiap orang yang memiliki wewenang untuk melaksanakan sumpah
oleh atau atas nama orang yang mengaku sebagai—
 pemilik hak cipta dalam setiap karya yang memenuhi syarat untuk mendapatkan
hak cipta berdasarkan Undang-undang ini yang menyatakan bahwa—
 pada waktu yang ditentukan di sini, hak cipta berlaku dalam pekerjaan tersebut;
 dia atau orang yang disebutkan di dalamnya adalah pemilik hak cipta; dan
 salinan dari karya yang dilampirkan padanya adalah salinan yang sebenarnya;
atau

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

  the performer in a performance eligible for performers’ right under this Act stating that—
 at the time specified therein performers’ right subsisted in such performance;
 he or the person named therein is the performer; and
 a copy of the document annexed thereto is the document which proves that he or the person named therein
performed in the performance,

shall be admissible in evidence any proceedings under this Act and shall be prima facie evidence of
the facts contained therein.
 PP v Sim, Odita, Muhammad Architects Sdn Bhd

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

  pelaku dalam pertunjukan yang memenuhi syarat untuk hak pelaku berdasarkan Undang-undang ini yang
menyatakan bahwa—
 pada waktu yang ditentukan di dalamnya, hak pelaku ada dalam pertunjukan tersebut;
 dia atau orang yang disebut di dalamnya adalah pelakunya; dan
 salinan dari dokumen yang dilampirkan padanya adalah dokumen yang membuktikan bahwa dia atau
orang yang disebutkan di dalamnya melakukan pertunjukan,
 akan diterima sebagai bukti setiap proses di bawah Undang-undang ini dan harus menjadi bukti prima
facie dari fakta-fakta yang terkandung di dalamnya.
 PP v Sim, Odita, Muhammad Architects Sdn Bhd

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

  HE, prima facie evidence can be rebutted.
 Microsoft Corporation v Yong Wai Hong
 Lam Soon (M) Sdn Bhd v Forward Supreme Sdn Bhd & Ors

 Affidavit / SD does not automatically become proof of those facts

 Elster Metering Ltd & Anor v Premier Amalgamated Sdn Bhd

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 2) Register of Copyright

 S. 42. : certified extracts of the Register of Copyright

referred to in section 26B shall be admissible in
evidence any proceedings under this Act and shall be
prima facie evidence of the facts contained therein.
 S. 26A. (1) A notification of copyright in any work may
be made to the Controller by or on behalf of the author
of the work, the owner of the copyright in the work, an
assignee of the copyright, or a person to whom an
interest in the copyright has been granted by licence.

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 COPYRIGHT
VOLUNTARY NOTIFICATION
SYSTEM
What is A Voluntary
Notification?
 No Formality requirement
 Copyright protection is automatic but to proof
ownership is difficult
 Initially, a person use a postal service to send own
work by stamped unopened enveloped as evidence
 MyIPO take the initiative to introduce a
registration services by way of voluntary basis
Copyright Voluntary Notification

Under Section 26A, Copyright Act 1987

Established a Mechanism for Voluntary
Notification of Copyright Works

To support KEEP AND

and assist Prima-facie DATABASE MAINTAINED
copyright evidence of Research BY
owner/user in ownership & Education
issue/disputes GOVERNMEN
of ownership T
 Dealings & Duration

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 Dealings

Assignment

License

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

  27. (1) Subject to this section,
 copyright shall be transferable by assignment
 (2) An assignment may be limited so as to apply
only to some of the acts which the owner of the
copyright has the exclusive right to control, or to
only part of the period of the copyright, or to a
A) Assignment specified country or other geographical area.
 No assignment shall have effect unless it is in
writing.

 Syed Alwi v Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka

 Polygram Records Sdn Bhd v The Search & Anor
Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)
  S. 27 (3): no licence to do an act the
doing of which is controlled by
copyright shall have effect unless it is in
writing.

B) License
 License provide defence for the licensee
in the case of copyright infringement
 Vision Tech Entertainment Sdn Bhd v
Movie Master Distributors Sdn Bhd

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 Duration

Literary, musical and artistic work

Published edition, sound recordings,

broadcast, films and work of gov.

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

  S. 17. (1) Except as otherwise provided
in this Act, copyright in any literary,
Literary, musical or artistic work which subsists
musical and in such work under this Act shall subsist
artistic work during the life of the author and shall
continue to subsist until the expiry of a
period of fifty years after his death.

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 50 years:
Published edition,
 Published edition (S.18)
sound recordings,  sound recordings (S.19)
broadcast, films and
work of gov.  Broadcast (S.20)
 Films (S.22)
 work of gov (S.23)

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 Exclusive Rights of
Copyright Owner,
Infringement,
Remedies

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 Exclusive Rights of Copyright Owner

 S.13. (1) Copyright in a literary, musical or artistic work, a film, or a sound recording or a
derivative work shall be the exclusive right to control in Malaysia—
 the reproduction in any material form;
 (aa) the communication to the public;
 the performance, showing or playing to the public;
 the distribution of copies to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership; and
 the commercial rental to the public,

of the whole work or a substantial part thereof, either in its original or derivative form

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

  S. 15. (1) Copyright in a broadcast shall be the exclusive right to control in
Malaysia the recording, the reproduction, and the rebroadcasting, of the whole or
a substantial part of the broadcast, and the performance, showing or playing to
the public in a place where an admission fee is charged of the whole or a
substantial part of a television broadcast either in its original form or in any way
recognizably derived from the original.

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 Infringement

Causing others
w/out consent
to do an act

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 Infringement

 36. (1): Copyright is infringed by any person who does, or causes any other person to do, without the licence of the
owner of the copyright, an act the doing of which is controlled by copyright under this Act.
 36 (2): Copyright is infringed by any person who, without the consent or licence of the owner of the copyright,
imports an article into Malaysia for the purpose of —
 selling, letting for hire, or by way of trade, offering or exposing for sale or hire, the article;
 distributing the article —
 for the purpose of trade; or
 for any other purpose to an extent that it will affect prejudicially the owner of the copyright; or
 by way of trade, exhibiting the article in public,
where he knows or ought reasonably to know that the making of the article was carried out without the consent or
licence of the owner of the copyright.

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 Infringement

 36. (1): Hak Cipta dilanggar oleh setiap orang yang melakukan, atau menyebabkan orang lain melakukan, tanpa izin dari pemilik hak cipta, suatu
perbuatan yang perbuatannya dikendalikan oleh hak cipta berdasarkan Undang-undang ini.
 36 (2): Hak cipta dilanggar oleh setiap orang yang, tanpa persetujuan atau izin dari pemilik hak cipta, mengimpor suatu barang ke Malaysia
untuk tujuan —
 menjual, menyewakan, atau dengan cara memperdagangkan, menawarkan atau mengekspos untuk dijual atau disewa, barang tersebut;
 mendistribusikan artikel-
 untuk tujuan perdagangan; atau
 untuk tujuan lain sejauh hal itu akan merugikan pemilik hak cipta; atau
 dengan cara berdagang, memamerkan barang itu di muka umum,
 di mana ia mengetahui atau sepatutnya mengetahui bahwa pembuatan barang itu dilakukan tanpa persetujuan atau izin dari pemilik hak cipta.

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 Hexagon Tower Sdn Bhd v
Polydamic Holdings Sdn Bhd &
Doing and act
3 Ors
w/out consent
 Elements:
 Sufficient objective similarity
 Causal connection

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 Sufficient objective similarity

Work which expressed the same idea need

not necessarily be infringement Similarity amounted to infringement
• Elster Metering Ltd & Anor v Damini Corp Sdn  Hexagon Tower
Bhd & Anor
 Honda Giken Kogyo
• 1 P claimed that it owned the copyright in the
st

drawings of a type of water meter

• P sued D for selling water meters which reproduced
the drawings
• There are similarities but both belonged to the same
type of water meter.
• Held: since the similarities resulted from the same
idea = no infringement

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 Causal connection

Case
 Need to show connection  Hexagon Tower
 Show direct evidence  Dabur India
 Onestop Software

Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)

 REMEDIES FOR INFRINGEMENT

SECTION 37
TYPES OF RELIEF

GENERAL RELIEF &

STATUTORY
DAMAGES
DAMAGES (d)
(a) – (c)

Injunction Damages Not more than RM25,000 for Order as court

each work but not more thinks fit
than RM500,000 in the
Accounts of aggregate
profits
43
Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)
Ma Kalthum Ishak (PhD, LL.M, LL.B)
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND