Officials boost fight against software piracy in KL

Officials boost fight against software piracy in KL

Associated Press, Kuala Lumpur

Industry watchdogs are trying to spur more tip-offs on
companies that use pirated software, even as government
authorities prepare for a nationwide crackdown on copyright
infringement, officials said Tuesday.

The Malaysian arm of the Business Software Alliance, a U.S.-
based industry anti-counterfeiting group, is raising its rewards
for information on corporate use of illegal software to
"encourage more people to come forward," said Tarun Sawney, the
group's Asia-Pacific enforcement manager.

The alliance is offering informants 100,000 ringgit
(US$26,316) throughout August, five times the usual amount of
20,000 ringgit ($5,263), Sawney said.

In his statement, Sawney said the increased reward offer was a
show of support for a crackdown on software piracy that the
Malaysian Domestic Trade Ministry has vowed to launch on Sept. 1.

Ministry officials said recently they had warned about 200
companies to rid their computers of unlicensed software before
September, when raids will be conducted on offices nationwide.

Police and ministry officials met Tuesday to discuss tougher
measures to combat copyright infringements, including bootlegged
video and music discs, a ministry source told The Associated
Press on condition of anonymity. Details were not immediately
available.

Pirated software is commonly used in Malaysia despite strict
copyright laws that allow offenders to be jailed for up to five
years and fined 10,000 ringgit ($2,632) for each infringement.

The Business Software Alliance estimates that 70 percent of
all software used in Malaysia last year was illegal, up from 66
percent in 2001. The infringements resulted in losses totaling
359.1 million ringgit ($94.5 million) to the software industry.

"This is an alarming trend," Sawney said. "It certainly goes
to show that there are still recalcitrant companies who are
simply ignoring the government's call to use only legal and
licensed software for business."