Malaysia plans jail for disc peddling pirates

January 25, 2005

Looks
like the government in Malaysia has about had it with the flagrant pirate
markets, and they are going after those that mass produce and sell bootleg
warez. Proposing mandatory jail sentences for
producers, distributors and vendors of bootleg movies and music compact discs. A
meeting will be held in order to look over the Copyright Act
sometime next week. During this meting, one consideration will be as to
whether to add a mandatory jail clause along with some other more stringent new
financial penalties. The reasoning behind the review of the 17 year old
copyright act, is that it has not had the desired effect of stopping or even
slowing the illegal activity.

Mr Shafie said the refurbished Copyright Act will also increase the
fine for each pirated VCD or DVD produced or sold, which currently ranges
from 2,000 ringgit to 20,000 ringgit. Mr Shafie described the amount as
"paltry," but did not say how much he wanted it raised.

"Many do not fear being fined a few hundred thousand ringgit because
their profits are in the millions of ringgit," he said. Public apathy, and
direct encouragement of piracy by their willingness to buy the discs, is
contributing to the problem, he said.

According to the report from Australian IT, bootleg movies are easy to find
in markets or can be bought from street vendors for as little as $3.40. Malaysia
is one of the 36 countries on a US watch list of serious copyright
violators.

Source: Australian IT