Senate passes three bills

KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Negara Monday passed three bills, the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) (Amendment) Bill 2017, the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Amendment) Bill 2017 and the Employment Insurance System Bill (SIP) 2017.

The Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) (Amendment) Bill 2017 which was tabled by Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Datuk Henry Sum Agong is aimed at creating a new provision to allow the MyIPO to set up companies as income sources.

The amendments were to improve the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) (Amendment) Act 2002 (Act 617) which has never been amended since it came into force in 2003, thus boosting MyIPO with clearer powers and functions to monitor and enforce laws on intellectual property.

When winding up debate on the bill,Henrysaidthenormalduration for processing an application to get a patent was 26 months, but there were provisions now which allow the process of applying for a patent to be shortened to 20 months.

He said this year, MyIPO with the cooperation of the ministry had set up a sole licensing board to collect royalties called Music Rights Malaysia ( MRM) Berhad to ensure the rights and royalties of the patent holder are better managed as well as to clear up consumer confusion on the payment of royalties.

Meanwhile, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Ab Aziz Kaprawi when winding up debate on the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Amendment) Bill 2017 said the passenger service charge of a maximum of RM1 was only imposed on departing passengers while transit passengers and flight crew were exempted.

He said MAVCOM was expected to collect up to RM26 million next year if the charge was implemented on March 1, based on passenger statistics.

Earlier, when tabling the bill, Ab Aziz said it would allow the commission to impose monetary penalties and collect charges from passengers at airport for passenger handling services.

The Employment Insurance System Bill (SIP) 2017 which was tabled by Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Abdul Muttalib is aimed at providing insurance to help employees who have lost jobs by providing shortterm financial assistance.

The system is also a social safety net to provide employment services such as finding jobs, placement, career guidance and training programmes to insured persons who have lost jobs. — Bernama