Software Pirates To Face Legal Action
By Azaraimy HH

Bandar Seri Begawan - The good days enjoyed by software pirates are numbered, as Microsoft (MS) legal team muscles up to take legal action against errant computer dealers or resellers who are selling illegal copies of Microsoft. This is in order to make a strong case against the sale of illegal copies of its products in Brunei.

If within six months period, or less, when a "soft approach- of persuasion does not work the MS lawyers will resort to tough legal means.

Microsoft is to come out with a strategic plan to educate the dealers on the importance of doing their part to support the Intellectual Property Right (IPR), thus preventing the sale of pirated copies.

In an interview with the Bulletin yesterday, Mr Jonathan Selvasegaram, a Microsoft Corporate Attorney, said that it is always Microsoft's way to try to educate the people, including the dealers.

He said by taking errant dealers to courts would also help honest dealers who sell the genuine product.

"It is not fair for us to ask honest dealers to sell only original copies if we don't protect their business interests. If we don't protect these honest dealers, than they will lose out to those who sell cheaper pirated copies," he said.

In Malaysia, there had been 21 cases this year where dealers were asked to stop selling copies and compelled to issue an apology letter in the media.

Dealers in Brunei, particularly those who had been profiting for so long selling copies, need to fall in line.

Mr Selvasegaram said Microsoft always believes in a soft approach first.

"Microsoft believes in a three-pronged approach in combating piracy; engineering, education and enforcement always come as a last resort," he added.

In engineering, Microsoft is continuously investing in anti-counterfeiting technologies, in education, Microsoft has always been educating the customers and resellers about the danger of counterfeiting, and in enforcement, Microsoft has been supporting government agencies and law enforcement agencies in taking action against software counterfeiters.

According to him, part of the problem is educating the public as well as dealers in this part of the world. Regrettably it is being perceived that intellectual property counterfeiting is not as big a deal as that of traditionally organised crimes such as credit card or currency fraud or even drugs.

He said the illegality of intellectual property counterfeiting should be perceived as a serious crime.

Therefore, the big part in the ‘soft approach’, that is education, involves trying to change the mindset of the people. To be fair, we believe that it takes time, but when all such efforts are exhausted, the only good measure left will be enforcement. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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