The government is considering taking action against the private owner of even one pirated video compact disc (VCD), said Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said this was because under the Copyright Act 1987 only a person who has three or more VCDs can be acted against.

" pirated vcd dvd pirate seller peddler vendor 141006 petaling Under the act now, any person who has one pirated VCD is not guilty, but if the person owns more than three action can be taken.

"My personal view is that if a person owns a pirated VCD that's an offence, even if it’s one, two or three," he told reporters after officiating the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Seminar - Malaysia on the creative industry in Kuala Lumpur today.

He said in that regard the act will be amended comprehensively to rectify weaknesses as well as to ensure the country's intellectual property law system was current, besides promoting the growth of the creative industry.

"If we are to protect creativity of film producers, music composers and the like, we must not only educate people but also have stiff penalties," Ismail Sabri said.

Action against shop-owners too

He said the amendment would also involve action against owners of business premises who allow premise renters to carry out illegal activity.

"In the act now, if traders sell illegal VCDs in an owner's shop, the owner cannot be held responsible, so we want to to amend the law so that it encompasses owners," he said.

pirated dvd and vcds 150305 Ismail Sabri said the amended act was also to ensure it was in line with current situation where sophisticated technology makes it easy for certain quarters to pirate material.

"Maybe one day people would not use VCDs or digital video discs (DVDs) to watch films or hear music as they can hear over the telephone or downloading material at home.

"We do not want advanced technology to be ahead of the law," he said.

Ismail Sabri said he had also directed the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) to get the views of film producers, the Film Directors Association of Malaysia (FDAM) and song composers regarding amending the act.

He said amendment to the act will be tabled in Parliament in the first session of sitting early next year.

Besides the Copyright Act 1987, several other acts are also being amended among them the Industrial Designs Act 1996, the Trade Marks Act 1976 and the Patents Act 1983.

- Bernama