Copyright and Terms of Use of Archival Materials

All archival materials made available through the Digital Archive are protected under the Copyright Act 1987 (Act 332), Malaysia, unless otherwise stated. Copyright may belong to the University, the original creator, or another rights holder.

Digital copies are provided solely for research, education, private study, and other non-commercial purposes. Any reproduction, publication, distribution, commercial use, modification, or public display of archival materials without prior written permission from the archive is prohibited, except where permitted by Malaysian copyright law.

All digital images and documents displayed through the Digital Archive contain an official watermark to:

• Protect the authenticity and integrity of archival records.
• Discourage unauthorized reproduction and redistribution.
• Identify the Digital Archive as the source of the digital surrogate.
• Preserve the evidential value of archival materials.

Removing, altering, obscuring, or attempting to bypass the watermark is strictly prohibited.

Users wishing to reproduce, publish, distribute, exhibit, or use archival materials beyond personal research or educational purposes must obtain written permission from the Archive before use.

Permission requests should be submitted through the Reservation and Reproduction Request Form available on the Digital Archive website. After submitting the request, staff will reply then users must send supporting details via the official archive email, including:

• Applicant's full name
• Institution or organisation (if applicable)
• Title or identifier of the archival material
• Intended purpose of use
• Type of publication or project
• Expected publication or usage date

Permission is granted on a case-by-case basis and may be subject to copyright ownership, donor agreements, privacy restrictions, preservation requirements, and applicable legislation.

Users must acknowledge the Digital Archive as the source when reproducing or referencing archival materials. A recommended citation format is:

Courtesy of [Musa Mohamad Library Digital Archive ], Collection Name, Record Identifier.

Certain archival materials may be restricted due to:

• Personal data protection and privacy considerations.
• Copyright ownership.
• Confidential or sensitive information.
• Donor or depositor agreements.
• Preservation and conservation requirements.

The Archive reserves the right to refuse access or reproduction requests where necessary to comply with legal or institutional obligations.

The management, preservation, and access of archival materials are guided by:

• National Archives Act 2003 (Act 629), Malaysia.
• Copyright Act 1987 (Act 332), Malaysia.
• ISO 30301:2019/2020 – Management Systems for Records.

These frameworks support the preservation of authentic, reliable, and usable archival records while ensuring responsible access and protection of intellectual property rights.

All permission requests and enquiries regarding the use of archival materials should be submitted through the Reservation Request page and confirmed via the official archive email.

Approval must be obtained before any archival material is reproduced, published, distributed, or used outside the purposes permitted under Malaysian copyright legislation.