Singapore has this image having one of the most disciplined and law-abiding citizenry. But the facts paint a totally different picture, at least in so far as online piracy goes.

Data from copyright-holders show Singapore has one of the highest incidences of online digital piracy in the Asia-Pacific region, said a report in Today (March 7). This is according to the country's Law Minister K Shanmugam who told Parliament yesterday.

On average, it is estimated there are more than 300,000 cases of illegal downloading each month, the worst among 15 countries in the region, Shanmugam said.

The Minister also announced the setting up of an Intellectual Property (IP) Steering Committee to develop Singapore as an Asian IP hub. The committee, headed by former permanent secretary for National Research and Development Teo Ming Kian, will look at developing Singapore as a vibrant marketplace for IP transactions and commercialization, the paper reported.

The committee will, for instance, recommend strategies to attract international firms and professionals here. It will also study the building of world-class IP capabilities and infrastructure.

This will need more lawyers in Singapore and the government is looking into allowing more law graduates holding degrees from non-scheduled universities to practice in Singapore. Shanmugam said the Ministry will review the types of lawyers who qualify, with a view to increase the pool of lawyers, according to the report.

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