Z
Zhou Tai
Guest
Saturday December 11, 2010
Harsher penalties for peddlers
By MARTIN CARVALHO
[email protected]
MALACCA: Heavier fines and harsher jail sentences are in store for those dealing in and peddling illegal CDs and DVDs. Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop said the Censorship Board was reviewing laws under the Film Censorship Act to enhance the penalties.
He said the review was necessary to keep up with changing times as well as ensure that the penalties acted as a deterrent. “The board feels that the current penalties do not commensurate with the offences.
“For example, those convicted of dealing in or distributing CDs and DVDs without the board’s approval seal now face a fine of up to RM50,000 and this is not stiff enough as a deterrent,” he told reporters after launching a prevention programme by the board in Ayer Keroh yesterday.
Illegal CDs and DVDs do not bear the Government’s hologram stickers. Abu Seman said the review would also look into increasing the current jail terms of between three and five years for offenders.
On Tuesday, the ministry’s Film Censorship Control and Enforcement Division secretary Tanasengran Sinnathambi told reporters after a dialogue with film distributors in Ipoh that a proposed amendment to the Act was expected to be tabled in Parliament next year.
Abu Seman said between 2005 and November this year, the board had conducted 12,509 raids in which over 2.7 million illegal CDs and DVDs worth RM22mil were seized.
“A total of 3,326 suspects were detained in the board’s operations during the period,” he added. Earlier, in his speech, Abu Seman said the board would cooperate with non-governmental organisations in organising programmes to discourage the public from buying illegal CDs and DVDs.
