What people think about piracy<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Originality does not always count, at least, not
\nfor pirates and those who use pirated items.<\/p>\n
The cheap prices of fake items, their wide availability and
\ntheir "relatively good" quality have lured people to buy them.<\/p>\n
Some yield to the temptation, some resist.<\/p>\n
How do people feel about piracy?<\/p>\n
Armand Maulana, singer: I buy pirated CD videos because they
\nare available anywhere in the markets. It's cheaper and the
\nquality is quite good. Original VCDs cost Rp 60,000 each while
\nthe copied ones are just Rp 15,000 each. So, which one do you
\nprefer? I swear to God that I wouldn't buy copied VCDs if they
\nwere not available in the markets. But, I'm not that bad because
\nI only bought the three Indiana Jones films on VCD. Being a
\nsinger myself, piracy is not good.<\/p>\n
Bens Leo, a music critic: Piracy is not about only money but
\nthe morality of copycats and buyers which is totally against
\nintellectual property rights laws.<\/p>\n
It seems that our authorities are still facing difficulties
\ndragging illegal producers and traders to court even though
\nbusiness associations whose products have been pirated keep
\ninvestigating the cases in cooperation with the police.<\/p>\n
Dr. Myrnawati, public health expert at Islamic Yarsi
\nUniversity's school of medicine: It seems that the trend of
\npiracy has increased significantly with women's products as the
\nfavorite items. We can easily find many pirated goods offered at
\nmany places throughout the country.<\/p>\n
I don't think the government has any idea about such illegal
\ntrading practices but I support the government not banning the
\nillegal business because 80 percent of Indonesians cannot afford
\nto buy genuine goods, which are so expensive.<\/p>\n
The government could prohibit only the trading of pirated
\nitems which are made by Indonesians.<\/p>\n
It does not matter to me on whether the goods I buy are
\ngenuine or not. What's important to me is that I like the product
\nand I'm ready for any consequences.<\/p>\n
Being an educator, I have learned that piracy has certain
\nadvantages especially because foreign-language literature is
\nexpensive and scarce here.<\/p>\n
Haptop Best, a palmist: There's no reason for the government
\nto let the bad piracy situation grow worse. It should be stopped
\nimmediately if we want to have more innovative citizens and
\nreduce the number of lazy people, who prefer copying things to
\ninventing new products.<\/p>\n
There should be a massive campaign about the effects the
\nnation will suffer if we keep producing, selling and purchasing
\npirated goods.<\/p>\n
In short, the government should begin taking stern action
\nunless we want to see our people simple-minded for their whole
\nlives.<\/p>\n
Awang, a freelance agent of pirated items in Glodok, West
\nJakarta: The growing business of copied goods flooding both
\nstreetside and sophisticated shopping areas across the country
\nreflects the people's genuine demand and buying power. The buffs
\nof pirated items are not only from the grassroots. I can tell you
\nthat many public figures, like film stars, legislators and models
\nhave been my regular customers for quite a long time.<\/p>\n
So, if you want to stop it, ask the original producers not to
\nsell their goods so far above a reasonable price. If they can
\nmake it, I guarantee people in the developing nations won't buy
\nthe copied goods anymore which will lead the illegal business to
\nits grave.<\/p>\n
Dewi Motik, a businesswoman and deputy chairwoman of
\nIndonesian Chambers of Commerce and Industry: It's just natural
\nthat every creator wants their intellectual work to be
\nappreciated and shun their creations being pirated. Our problem
\nis that there are still many of us, especially our traditional
\npeople in villages and even scientists, still ignore copyright
\nlaws. There are, of course, positive and negative things about
\npiracy. Having cheap pirated products is good but, believe me,
\nit's an evil work. I don't buy pirated products on purpose. It's
\nonly later that I find out the things I have bought are pirated.<\/p>\n
Reza Faisal, a university student: As long as the government
\ndoes nothing against piracy, people from all walks of life,
\nincluding the well-to-dos, will enjoy using, consuming,
\npurchasing and producing a variety of illegally copied items. I
\nthink the government has planned the correct time to act because
\nat the moment, so many people -- particularly students and even
\nprofessionals -- cannot afford to buy the original goods because
\nof their expensive prices. So, if you have enough money, buy the
\nauthentic ones and let other people purchase things based on
\ntheir buying power. Simple, isn't it? Producers of the original
\nbrands should not force low-income people to buy genuine goods.<\/p>\n
Emmy Hafild, executive director of Indonesian Forum for
\nEnvironment: Yes, I buy some pirated goods, like books, in Taiwan
\nand India. But it's not too often because I highly appreciate the
\nwriters, especially when they are not rich. The government should
\nexempt science books, for instance, from tax so more people can
\nafford them.<\/p>\n
Laksmiari Priyonggo, Indonesian Democratic Party legislator: I
\nnever look to see if the products I buy are genuine or fake but,
\nbasically, I am against piracy. But sometimes we cannot get away
\nfrom it. For example, I am very fond of reading and willing to
\npay a lot for the information I need, especially for banned books
\nwhich I don't mind copying if it's very hard to find a copy.
\nCopyright owners should be proud if their products are pirated.
\nDoesn't it mean that their works are popular? Remember the author
\nEmha Ainun Najib who once said that letting his books be pirated
\nwas a kind of charity?<\/p>\n
Usually, it is not the creators who are money-minded people
\nbut their managers who are afraid of losing their fortunes
\nbecause of piracy. (08\/aan\/bsr\/05)<\/p>",
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