In today’s blog post we will be taking a closer look at the Copyright registration in Malaysia. The article demonstrates through case study the importance of voluntary copyright registration in Malaysia
Copyright in Malaysia
Copyright in Malaysia protects literary, artistic, musical and dramatic works. Copyright also protects sound recordings, published editions, films, broadcasts and performer’s rights. Copyright ownership could be held either by the author, his employer or the person who commissions the work.
It must be noted that an author retains the right to have his name identified as the author of the work based on what is called a moral right. The author also has the moral right against the distortion, mutilation or other modification of his or her work. Ownership of copyright entails an exclusive right to commercially exploit the work. A classic example of commercializing a copyrighted work is the distribution of copies of the work for sale. We can see this in traditional commerce such as books and compact discs. As an intangible property, copyright can also be licensed or assigned to third parties for royalties. When licensing, it is important to determine the extent of copyright use that is permitted.
In Malaysia, copyright exists as soon as the original work is created and belongs to the creator of the work automatically. There is no formal requirement for the work to be registered in order for copyright to be claimed or recognized, however a copyright owner may voluntarily register their copyright in Malaysia. Registration is still advisable for foreign SMEs as the registration can be extremely useful in enforcement proceedings as evidence of your ownership. To claim copyright ownership (i.e. to forewarn infringement), a notice with the symbol © may also be placed in/on the work followed by the name of the owner and the year of first publication. Continue reading “The Importance of Voluntary Copyright Registration in Malaysia: A Case Study” »