Malaysia Clamps Down on Software Licensing Infringement with a String of Recent Arrests.
Malaysia isn’t exactly a shining beacon in the world of copy protection. With a 
software piracy rate of 59%, 8th highest in the Asia Pacific Region (according to the BSA’s latest report), which has barely fallen in 3 years it’s clear that the protection of intellectual property has hardly been top of the priority list in Kuala Lumpur.
But maybe there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon.
SL.tv has read report’s in Malaysia’s Star of 4 software piracy arrests in the last six months in just on small area of the Kuala Lumpur.
In the most recent raid, one computer dealer in the city’s “golden triangle” area was arrested for the second time in 2 years for selling PCs pre-loaded with pirated software.
In the raid, Domestic Trade, Co-operative and Consumerism Ministry enforcement officers seized various pirated software and hardware.
In a statement enforcement division head Mohd Roslan Mahayudin said that the case was being investigated under Malaysia’s 1987 Copyright Act. Under the act the offender could face a jail sentence of up to 5 years and fines of up to $28,000 for his alleged offences.
SL.tv hopes that the Malaysian authorities will choose to send a clear signal to other would-be software pirates by imposing the stiffest penalties permitted under the act.
In addition to increased raids the Malaysian government is also addressing the problem through a joint software piracy education campaign with the BSA. The campaign, called “Sikap Tulen” is targeted at consumers and aims to change their attitudes towards illegitimate software.
These are small steps we know. However they are at least movement in the right direction. Education and increased vigilance on the part of both authorities and vendors are essential in the fight against software piracy.
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