KUALA LUMPUR, June 19 — A 38-year-old individual has been charged and fined by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court for selling TV boxes pre-loaded with unauthorised Astro content under Section 43AA of the Copyright Act 1987. The individual pleaded guilty and paid the RM20,000 fine.
According to a statement issued by Astro, the offence was committed on June 29, 2022 at an outlet located at EkoCheras Mall in Kuala Lumpur. He was caught in possession of five Android TV boxes that are preloaded with unauthorised content.
The Copyright (Amended) Act 2022 gazetted last year on February 10, 2022 was hailed as a landmark change to copyright protection in Malaysia as it made digital piracy a criminal offence. The law enforcement is implemented by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) on March 18, 2022.
Some of the recent legal actions against digital piracy include two individuals fined RM14,000 in total on April 13, 2023 for selling TV boxes pre-loaded with unauthorised Astro content by Kluang Magistrate’s Court. This is followed by two individuals charged at the Kuala Lumpur Session Court also for selling illegal TV boxes pre-loaded with Astro content.
Meanwhile, on April 3. 2023, a 22-year-old student was fined by the Kuala Lumpur Magistrates’ Court for having in possession an unauthorised link to a popular local TV drama series on his devices.
With the recent amendment to the Copyright Act, it is a crime to sell illicit streaming devices (ISDs) and associated software applications that allow unauthorised access to copyright content. Individuals found guilty under the Act can be fined a minimum of RM10,000 to a maximum of RM200,000, or be imprisoned for up to 20 years, or both.
Astro reminds the public with information on privacy activities to contact KPDNHEP by calling the hotline at 1-800-886-800 or 03-88826088 at the Enforcement Command Centre, or via WhatsApp at 019-2794317. Alternatively, they can email at [email protected] or via the EZ Adu app. — SoyaCincau
