The Malaysian Deputy Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk S Subramaniam told buyers to quit spending their money on CD and DVDs while the prices are as high as they currently are. Malaysia has a high piracy rate and wants to fight it, however prices of CDs and DVDs are so high most people are still buying the pirated versions.
According to the goverment are the high prices the reason why people pirate the discs, lower prices would decrease the pirate rate, but the entertainment industry states that current prices can't be lowered. Anoher point is that pirated versions are even better marketed, they provided more information and the disc were available everywhere.
It's a point oft-made by music and movie consumers, but this is the first time we've heard a national government come out and make this oh-so-obvious suggestion. Of course, music and movie companies won't accept it, no matter from where the advices comes. As Subramainiam himself noted this week, they'll continue to state that CD and DVD prices are justified by admin costs, R&D, production and artist royalties. |
The Malaysian goverment has a point, a total boycott of CDs and DVDs for a long time would really force the entertainment industry to find a way to lower prices. This howevers asks for such a high level of organisation that it most likely will never happen.
Source: TheRegister.co.uk
