Raids serve as reminder to businesses in Sarawak that they are constantly under watch.

Kuching, Sarawak (Thursday, October 22, 2015) –

The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism (“MDTCC”) branch office in Kuching had successfully raided the premises of two Sarawak-based companies for using suspected pirated software in their daily business operations on October 20 and 21, 2015.

Speaking at a news conference held at the MDTCC Kuching branch office, Chief Enforcement Officer for Sarawak, Abdul Hafidz A Rahim said, “The two raids conducted resulted in the seizure of 7 computers, and 60 copies of suspected pirated software, worth an estimated RM896,000, belonging to Adobe, Autodesk, CNC Software - Mastercam, Dassault Systèmes, and Microsoft, all members of BSA | The Software Alliance (“BSA”).”

Specific details of the two raids conducted, were:

Date of RaidIndustryLocationHW SeizedHW ValueSW SeizedSW ValueTotal Value (HW + SW)

October 20Precision EngineeringSamajaya Free Industrial Zone4RM12,00040RM750,000RM762,000

October 21Design ConsultantsTabuan Jaya3RM 9,00020RM125,000RM134,000

Total  7RM21,00060RM875,000RM896,000

“The Ministry takes a very serious view against companies conducting their business operations using unlicensed software. This is a clear violation of the Copyright Act 1987 which stipulates that if a business is found to have used or is in possession of illegal copies of software, the organization, as well as its senior management, may face criminal prosecution. If convicted, the responsible individuals and/or organization will face a fine of between RM2,000 to RM20,000 for each infringing copy, a prison sentence of up to five years, or both.”

“Admittedly, while such kinds of enforcement actions are not a daily occurrence here in Kuching, it does not mean that the Ministry is not vigilant against acts of software piracy in the state. In fact, the two raids reported today should serve as a reminder to businesses that they are constantly under watch,” Abdul Hafidz added.

In a separate statement, BSA’s Senior Director, Compliance Programs - Asia Pacific, Roland Chan, called on organizations to review their use and management of software.

Chan quoted Dr Amirudin Abdul Wahad, Chief Executive Officer of CyberSecurity Malaysia who recently spoke at the International Fire and Security Exhibition and Conference South East Asia, where he had declared that a total of 6,800 cyber security breach reports were recorded by July this year in Malaysia, with fraud, intrusion and cyber harassment topping the list.

“While computer users cite the risk of security threats from malware as the top reason for avoiding pirated software, it is ironic that a surprising 54 percent of the software installed on personal computers in Malaysia in 2013, valued at RM2 billion (USD616 million), remained unlicensed, according to the BSA’s Global Software Survey conducted by global research firm IDC and released in 2014. When IT managers expressed concern that pirated software causes harm, less than half of the respondents were confident that their company’s software was licensed properly,” Chan revealed.

The 2015 report “Unlicensed Software and Cybersecurity Threats” commissioned by BSA, and also conducted by IDC, confirmed a strong correlation between rates of unlicensed software installations and malware infections.

“Although managing cyber-risk is complex, there is a critical first step — understanding what is installed and running in a company’s own network, and making sure that software is both genuine and fully licensed. Failure to take this threshold step can have serious consequences. I would encourage organizations to act immediately before it’s too late,” concluded Chan.

In complementing the enforcement efforts of the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism against software piracy, reports on the use of pirated or unlicensed software in organizations can be made online at www.facebook.com/bsamalaysiagenuine or www.bsa.org/malaysia. BSA also operates a toll-free anti-piracy hotline number 1-800-887-800. BSA provides a reward of up to RM20,000* for any information that results in a successful enforcement action.

About BSA | The Software Alliance

BSA | The Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) is the leading advocate for the global software industry before governments and in the international marketplace. Its members are among the world’s most innovative companies, creating software solutions that spark the economy and improve modern life. With headquarters in Washington, DC, and operations in more than 60 countries around the world, BSA pioneers compliance programs that promote legal software use and advocates for public policies that foster technology innovation and drive growth in the digital economy.

Media Contact

Ching Yee Sing(m): 012 340 1816(e): chingyeesing@wysecomm.com