Pirated VCD and DVD traders are waging a war in Penang! But they are not taking on the authorities but each other in a price war that is rocking the island.

Since last month, traders at shopping malls are slashing prices to "kill off" their competitors who peddle their wares on the street.

A check showed that a pack of three DVDs were sold at RM10 in shopping malls while on the streets DVDs are sold at between RM8 and RM14 per disc.

So why the huge discounts in shopping malls?

Feeling the heat

According to one trader, those operating in shopping malls are feeling the heat from the state Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Department.

Since last January, the department has come down hard on the traders in several shopping malls and it has managed to successfully reduce the number of traders in these malls.

"Many shopping mall traders are leaving the business and those surviving are selling their items at discounted prices.

"By cutting their prices, shopping mall traders believe they can chase away street peddlers as well as sell their goods before being seized by enforcement officers," said the trader who has three outlets.

Traders in shopping malls are also upset with the re-emergence of street peddlers in George Town who were previously lying low for about two years following stern action by the authorities.

Watchful tontos

However, since early this year, the peddlers have returned with a new weapon - tontos who keep track on the authorities' every move.

The tontos can be spotted outside the Domestic trade and Consumer Affairs Department office in George Town on a daily basis as well as outside the homes of director Fahmi Kassim and operations chief Norashikin Abdul Hamid.

Their presence has greatly hampered the department's operations against street peddlers. However, their raids on shopping malls have been more successful.

Between January and April this year, the department seized nearly RM2 million worth of pirated DVDs, VCDs, CDs, MP3 play stations, software, DVD/VCD players, computer sets and other appliances in 278 cases, majority of them from shopping mall outlets.

ATHI VEERANGGAN is malaysiakini 's Penang-based stringer.