By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, April 29: Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs’ state director Datuk Stanley Tan cautioned the public not to record videos in cinemas as stern action will be taken against movie piracy.
Tan led 10 of his officers to inspect MBO cinema and GSC cinema, here, last night to create greater awareness that it is wrong to record movies in cinemas, even for personal use.
Tan told a press conference at GSC in CityONE that the ministry started carrying out inspections in the state on this matter on April 24 and to date, 25 inspections had been done at nine cinemas, but no action has been taken, so far.
“Pirated movies, be it in the form of DVDs or live broadcast in social media, have brought negative impact on the local film industry,” he said.
Tan cautioned that the long arm of the law remained applicable even if the recorded video was only “a second long”.
Anyone caught illegally recording any movie can be charged under Section 43A of the Copyright Act 1987. If the individual was found possessing a recording device and recording video in the cinema, he or she can be fined not less than RM10,000 and not exceeding RM100,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or both, if convicted.
If an individual is found trying to record video illegally, he or she can be fined not less than RM5,000 and not more than RM50,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or both, upon conviction. — DayakDaily
