A new bill, the Optical Disc Bill 2000 (ODB2000), received the Cabinet’s go-ahead late last month, to be tabled when the Parliament reconvenes in April. The aim of ODB2000, said Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, is the eradication of piracy in the country. This new bill, which is modeled on Hong Kong’s Prevention of Copyright Ordinance 1998, if passed, will require manufacturers to acquire licensing from the Ministry of Domestic Trade & Consumer Affairs (MDTCA) in addition to licensing from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI).
According to the Minister, this dual licensing is to regulate the manufacturing of optical discs and provide better protection involving their production and copyright. Muhyiddin said that parties who have already obtained a licence from MITI would be given six (6) months to apply to his Ministry after the bill has been passed. Companies previously exempted from the Industrial Court Relations Act, for having an investment of below RM2.5million, will now have to get a licence under the bill. The Ministry is currently in the process of preparing the guidelines and regulations to let the bill have a more positive effect on the efforts to combat piracy.
The Minister further said that some 90 companies are believed to be involved in manufacturing compact discs and video compact discs illegally and this is causing losses of millions of ringgit to both the music industry and the Government. There was difficulty in identifying them as they used sophisticated technology to evade detection. When the new Optic Disc Act comes into effect in June or July, these offenders will face a fine of RM500, 000.00 or 5 years in jail.
In a separate development, an amendment to the existing Copyright Act 1987 will also be tabled in the ongoing session of Parliament. The amendment, "To Provide Protection for Performance Rights" to the "Copyright Act1987" will provide additional protection to live performers and their works from infringements.
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