Ministry vows massive crackdown on copyright pirates

Ministry vows massive crackdown on copyright pirates

M. Taufiqurrahman and Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Bandung

Indonesia, realizing its image has been tarnished by becoming the
world's third largest producer of pirated software and other
copyrighted materials, was committed to conducting a nation-wide
crackdown on the contraband, an official said on Friday.

Justice ministry copyright director Emawati Junus said that
civil servant investigators throughout the country would team up
with local police and prosecutors to launch a crackdown after the
new copyright protection law took effect in July.

After one year of public education, law No.19/2002 on
copyright protection comes into effect on July 29, 2003. The law
stipulates a more severe punishment against acts of piracy.

"Once the law takes effect, the joint teams will collect
evidence of pirated materials from vendors," Emawati told The
Jakarta Post.

She said investigations would first center on major stores
which were supposed to sell original materials. A warning letter
would given to stores selling counterfeit products.

"If they give no response after three warning letters, police
will confiscate all of their merchandise," she said, adding that
charges would be filed afterwards.

Emawati said that as selling pirated materials was a major
source of income for many people, the implementation of the new
law would be gradual.

She, however, was quick to add that according to the new law,
the legal process against piracy would be sped up to deliver
justice.

"Under the new law, a legal dispute regarding copyright
violation will be handled by the Commercial Court which must
settle the case in no more than 90 days," she said, adding that
under existing laws the legal process might take years to
complete.

The United States has already placed Indonesia on its priority
watch list over piracy activities. A recent report from the
Business Software Alliance claimed that software developers
suffered losses of US$80 million in Indonesia in 2001.

Separately, Association of Indonesian Recording Industry
representative Arnel said that in 2002 the level of piracy
against recorded materials had reached 1000 percent -- for every
original there were 10 pirated versions.

He noted that the figure of pirated recording materials stood
at 363 million, dwarfing sales of originals, which only reached
34.2 million.

Emawati told The Post that the ministry had completed drafting
government regulations for the implementation of the new law.

"The drafts only need the approval from President Megawati
Soekarnoputri to take effect."

The government regulations set further guidelines on the
establishment of a Council on Copyrights to educate people. It
also designates the government as the sole holder of Indonesia
folklore.

Emawati said the law was intended to save Indonesia's standing
in the international economy.

"This law is also aimed at boosting the creativity of the
Indonesian people to develop themselves in arts and technology,"
she said.