Police raid shops selling counterfeit software<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Police announced yesterday that they seized
\nthousands of counterfeit diskettes and CD-ROMs during a raid on
\nfour computer shops in downtown Glodok district.<\/p>\n
National Police Chief Spokesman Brig. Gen. I.K. Ratta said
\nfive people were arrested following their Tuesday raid on four
\nshops in Glodok and Orion plazas.<\/p>\n
The counterfeit software has an estimated retail value of Rp 7
\nbillion (over US$3 million), Ratta said.<\/p>\n
Some of the pirated software included copies of MS Windows 95,
\nwhich, officially, has only just hit the market, Microsoft
\nEncarta 95, Software Xpress and Microsoft Office, all of which
\nsell for less than half the original prices and are usually
\npoorly packaged.<\/p>\n
The four arrested were identified as Hari Kurniawan, 28,
\nZulkarnain Halim, 30, Jeong Chun Kwong, 35, Mawardi, 30 and
\nSutarno, 20. They will be charged under article 44 of the 1987
\nLaw on Copyrights. If found guilty, they face a maximum of seven
\nyears in prison and a fine of Rp 100 million ($44,000).<\/p>\n
Lt. Col. Nian Syafuddin, the head of the National Police's
\nEconomic Crime Investigation unit, which conducted the raid, said
\nthat the pirated CD-ROMs were probably from China and shipped to
\nIndonesia via Hong Kong or Singapore.<\/p>\n
\"We don't believe that Indonesians have the capability of
\nreproducing compact disks,\" Nian said at a media briefing.<\/p>\n
Ratta reaffirmed the police's intention to continue with
\nsimilar operations. \"We will continue to strengthen intellectual
\nproperty rights protection.\"<\/p>\n
The massive police sweep was immediately hailed by the
\nWashington-based Business Software Alliance (BSA). The group
\nrepresents leading U.S. software brands and has filed complaints
\nwith the police about copyright infringements in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"A clear message was sent to Jakarta dealers and distributors
\nof unlicensed and counterfeit software that their illegal and
\ncriminal activity will no longer be tolerated,\" BSA said in a
\nstatement made available in Jakarta yesterday.<\/p>\n
90 percent<\/p>\n
The BSA, which represents such software products as Autodesk,
\nAdobe, Lotus, Microsoft, Novell and WordPerfect, estimates that
\nsoftware piracy in Indonesia exceeds 90 percent.<\/p>\n
\"These dealers distribute products containing viruses that
\ncause substantial damage to a personal computer, and deny the
\npublic from obtaining the benefits when purchasing original
\nsoftware such as technical support and fully operational licensed
\nsoftware applications,\" BSA vice president Ron Eckstrom said.<\/p>\n
\"These dealers of illegal software damage Indonesia's
\ninternational reputation and foster an environment where it is
\nvirtually impossible for a local software industry to develop and
\nflourish.\"<\/p>\n
Last April, after securing a pledge of cooperation from China,
\nviewed then as one of the world's largest copyright violators,
\nWashington indicated that it was targeting Indonesia in its next
\ncampaign to ensure greater intellectual property rights
\nprotection for American software products.<\/p>\n
\"These raids demonstrate the Indonesian government's
\ncommitment to eradicate rampant software infringement in
\nIndonesia by strongly enforcing the Indonesian copyright laws. As
\nthe level of software theft in Indonesia is reduced, the local
\nand international software industry will flourish, resulting in
\nthe creation of thousands of jobs and an infusion of
\ninternational investment in high tech industries,\" Eckstrom said.<\/p>\n
Ratta confirmed that police acted after receiving information
\nfrom BSA through its Indonesian legal representatives,
\nHadiputranto & Associates. (bsr\/emb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-raid-shops-selling-counterfeit-software-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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