Need instant cash, and at the same time want to be a "good citizen"? Just dial 0800-1-272-272, provide the person on the other end with solid data on software piracy, and you could pocket up to Rp 50 million (US$5,350).

The anti-piracy hotline number was officially launched on Tuesday by the Business Software Alliance (BSA) -- an international organization actively fighting the use of illegal computer software -- in its support of the government's moves in curbing piracy.

Some 88 percent of all software installed on computers in Indonesia is pirated, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC), thus making the country the fourth most rampant country in the world for piracy. This has apparently prompted the government to build an alliance with BSA in order to curb such crime.

The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights' directorate-general of intellectual property rights is hoping that such an effort will reduce software piracy by 10 percent within four years.

"The BSA hotline can be accessed to help law enforcement against software piracy in the country," said director-general of intellectual property rights Abdul Bari Azed.

To report piracy, BSA's director for anti-piracy in Asia, Tarun Sawney, encouraged the public to acquire basic information on suspected illegal use of software in businesses and companies before they called. Their identity would be kept secret.

"As a token of appreciation, a caller may receive a reward of up to Rp 50 million," he said.

Afterwards, BSA would conduct internal inquiries then pass the information to the police for follow-up.

To further reduce the level of piracy in Indonesia, BSA would approach all companies using software in their operations through seminars and direct mail.

Abdul expected that the BSA Hotline, the first of its kind in the country, would help Indonesia decrease piracy by at least 10 percent.

An IDC study showed that reducing piracy by 10 percent between 2002 to 2006 could add $1.9 billion to Indonesia's economy. And this would create more than 4,000 high-wage, high-tech jobs, as well as generating additional tax revenues of $100 million.

Established in 1988, BSA is supported by members such as Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, McAfee, Macromedia, Microsoft, Bentley Systems and Internet Security Systems.

In Indonesia, the use of an unlicensed software program violates copyright law No. 19/2002 and perpetrators can be sentenced to a maximum of five years imprisonment and fined up to Rp 500 million. (004)