Registrar of Patents and other officers
4.—(1) There is to be a Registrar of Patents who has the chief control of the Registry of Patents.
(2) There is to be one or more Deputy Registrars of Patents who, subject to the control of the Registrar, have all the powers and functions of the Registrar under this Act, other than the powers of the Registrar under section 5.
(3) There is to be one or more Assistant Registrars of Patents.
(4) The Registrar and all the other officers under this section must be appointed by the Minister.
Delegation by Registrar
5.—(1) The Registrar may, in relation to a particular matter or class of matters, by writing under the hand of the Registrar, delegate all or any of the Registrar’s powers or functions under this Act (except this power of delegation) to an Assistant Registrar of Patents, any public officer, or any person with the relevant qualifications for or experience in the matter or class of matters, so that the delegated powers and functions may be exercised by the delegate with respect to the matter or class of matters specified in the instrument of delegation.[4/2014]
(2) A delegation under this section is revocable at will and no delegation prevents the exercise of a power or function by the Registrar or by any Deputy Registrar of Patents.
(3) A person with the relevant qualifications or experience referred to in subsection (1) is, when exercising the delegated powers and functions, deemed to be a public servant for the purposes of the Penal Code 1871.[4/2014]
Registry of Patents
6. For the purposes of this Act, there is an office which is known as the Registry of Patents.
Seal of Registry
7. There is a seal of the Registry and impressions of the seal are to be judicially noticed.
Powers of Registrar
8. The Registrar may, for the purposes of this Act —(a)
summon witnesses;
(b)
receive evidence on oath, whether orally or otherwise;
(c)
require the production of documents or articles; and
(d)
award costs against a party to proceedings before the Registrar.
Disobedience to summons an offence
9.—(1) A person who has been summoned to appear as a witness before the Registrar must not, without lawful excuse, fail to appear in obedience to the summons.
(2) A person who has been required by the Registrar to produce a document or article must not, without lawful excuse, fail to produce the document or article.
(3) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) or (2) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to both.
Refusal to give evidence an offence
10.—(1) A person who appears before the Registrar must not, without lawful excuse, refuse to be sworn or to make an affirmation, or to produce documents or articles, or to answer questions, which the person is lawfully required to produce or answer.
(2) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to both.
Officers not to traffic in inventions
11.—(1) An officer or person employed in the Registry must not buy, sell, acquire or traffic in an invention or patent, whether granted in Singapore or elsewhere, or in a right to, or licence under, a patent, whether granted in Singapore or elsewhere.
(2) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to both.
(3) A purchase, sale, acquisition, assignment or transfer made or entered into in contravention of this section is void.
(4) This section does not apply to the actual inventor or to an acquisition by bequest or devolution in law.
Officers not to furnish information
12.—(1) An officer or person employed in the Registry must not, except when required or authorised by this Act, or under a direction in writing of the Registrar or by order of a court —(a)
furnish information on a matter which is being, or has been, dealt with under this Act;
(b)
prepare, or assist in the preparation of, a document required or permitted by or under this Act to be lodged in the Registry; or
(c)
conduct a search in the records of the Registry.
(2) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to both.
Source: Singapore Statutes Online (Attorney-General's Chambers), © Government of Singapore.
