Need instant cash, and at the same time want to be a "good

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)