Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SINGAPORE1540
2006-05-11 09:37:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Singapore
Cable title:
IPR: SINGAPORE FINES FIRST COMPANY UNDER AMENDED
how-toVZCZCXYZ0013 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHGP #1540 1310937 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 110937Z MAY 06 FM AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9854 INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
UNCLAS SINGAPORE 001540
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE PASS TO USTR FOR VESPINEL AND JJENSEN
COMMERCE FOR JBAKER
USPTO FOR PFOWLER
COPYRIGHT OFFICE FOR MPOOR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KIPR ECON ETRD EINV SN
SUBJECT: IPR: SINGAPORE FINES FIRST COMPANY UNDER AMENDED
ANTI-COPYRIGHT LAW
REF: A. SINGAPORE 811
¶B. 05 SINGAPORE 2817
The Subordinate Court on April 27 fined interior design firm
PDM International S$30,000 (US$19,000),ending the criminal
portion of Singapore's first intellectual property case based
on 2005 amendments to its Copyright Act (reftels). PDM was
charged with three counts of copyright infringement after
police discovered illegal installations of Microsoft, Adobe,
and Autodesk software valued at approximately S$50,000
(US$31,750). The prosecutor decided not to pursue the third
count after PDM's director plead guilty to two counts.
(Note: Under the amended Act, the court could have fined PDM
a maximum of S$20,000 (US$12,750) for each count. End note.)
A Business Software Alliance (BSA) representative told us
that he was pleased with the outcome of the case despite the
fact that the court did not impose the maximum fine. BSA now
plans to pursue a civil case against PDM, he said.
HERBOLD