MINISTRY OF LAW

The new Copyright Act came into operation in 1987. However, this is still based on traditional copyright principles, and does not deal with the peculiarities of semiconductor chips and chip manufacturing technology. We will draft a new law to provide an explicit remedy for the misappropriation and unauthorized copying of the circuit layout of a semiconductor chip.

We will review the existing trade mark and patent systems to speed up the processing of applications. We will revise the laws to take account of changes in commercial practice, and to allow indigenous registration of patents in Singapore. This will make the legal environment more conducive to creativity and innovation, and help us to develop into a centre of high technology.

The Law Revision Committee published the Revised Edition of the Statutes of the Republic of Singapore in 1987. Its next task is to prepare a Revised Edition of the Subsidiary Legislation of Singapore. After this is done, such legislation will become easily accessible to the public and lawyers for the first time.

The Attorney-General's Chambers will install a computerized system to store and retrieve legal opinions and precedents and up-to-date information on statutes and subsidiary legislation.

The computerization of land management operations, including the processing of property transactions and plan and map drawing, is progressing smoothly. Databases on landed property dealings and land surveys and mapping are being created and will progressively be placed on-line for public use.

PROF. S JAYAKUMAR Minister for Law