Indonesia makes progress in ending software piracy

Indonesia makes progress in ending software piracy

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia, singled out by the U.S. as one of the
worst offenders of property rights, is making progress in
eliminating computer software piracy, the U.S.-based Business
Software Alliance (BSA) said yesterday.

By August, BSA's international hot line had received more than
100 reports on Indonesian stores selling pirated software or
Indonesian companies using unlicensed software, BSA vice
president David Sigler said.

He said the reports were recorded in preparation for further
investigation by the Indonesian authorities.

"Law enforcement of copyright law is progressing (in
Indonesia). We're working closely with the police," Sigler told
The Jakarta Post yesterday.

By enforcing copyright law, Indonesia's image will improve
because it means that Indonesia is fulfilling its treaty
obligation to protect property rights, he said.

Founded in 1988, BSA is a non-governmental agency,
representing computer software companies, that detects and takes
action against violators of copyright law.

BSA claims that 99 percent of the software circulating on the
Indonesian market is illegal.

Sigler revealed that 20 Indonesian police officers are in
Australia for a three-month course on computer software. "After
their return, we're going to work on putting together a very
tight and effective enforcement program," Sigler said.

Lt. Col. Hadi Purnomo, the police head of international trade
and production, said the police were working hard to stop
software piracy.

But he admitted the police were facing difficulties. "The
police officers' knowledge of sophisticated technology, such as
computers, is inadequate," Hadi said.

He said some officers had undergone language and computer
software training to support their tasks.

Signer said, however, that Indonesia topped the world's
software piracy rates with 99 percent of the software on its
market being illegal. Software piracy causes the world's major
software producers to lose an estimated US$112 million annually,
he added.

"In comparison to China and Japan, the piracy rate in
Indonesia is higher. In China, the rate is 98 percent. But, if we
look at the financial loss, China and Japan made software
companies lose more due to their much bigger economic scales,"
Sigler said.

"Software piracy, illegal copying and the use of unlicensed
software not only violate the Indonesian Law but also, could have
wider implications for Indonesia's trade status with foreign
trading partners in the future," Sigler said.

Indonesia is among the developing countries that the United
States has accused of rampant violations of intellectual property
rights. Indonesia passed a law on intellectual property rights in
1987.

The Indonesian government renewed its pledge to crack down on
computer software piracy last April.

Article 44 of the law on intellectual property rights states
that anyone found copying intellectual works for business
purposes without a permit may be imprisoned for up to seven years
and fined up to Rp 100 million (US$38,000).

The law also stipulates that anyone found illegally
broadcasting, displaying, distributing or selling copies of
intellectual work faces up to seven years in prison and a Rp 50
million fine.

Yesterday, BSA gave two cash rewards of Rp 2.5 million
(US$1,063) to two anonymous Indonesians who had reported software
piracy in Jakarta and other cities via the agency's hot line.

Sigler also presented Original Software Used Here certificates
to four companies: PT Amoco Mitsui PTA Indonesia, PT Mivan
Indonesia, PT Reasuransi National Indonesia and the Suara
Pembaruan daily newspaper for signing a "Software Code of Ethics"
declaration. (ste)