FINAS MY sets up special team to combat piracy

Just four days after its release, illegal recordings of animated movie Upin & Ipin: Keris Siamang Tunggal, were already available online.

According to chief executive officer of the National Film Development Corporation (FINAS) Ahmad Idham Nadzri, the film’s producer had “complained” that some audiences acted on a visual recording for over four minutes using a mobile phone and uploaded it on social sites.

To tackle digital piracy, Nadzri said that Finas formed a special team to curb such activities and had managed to “pull out” the recording from continuing to circulate.

He also called on the cinema and cinema management to constantly monitor activities by increasing the level of oversight in the show hall.

“If the exhibitor had no capacity to do so, they could have worked with Finas to find the appropriate mechanism,” Nadzri said. Since his appointment in two weeks ago, Nadzri has been on the move to eradicate the recording and illegally uploading of videos.

“If the users themselves see the activity in the cinema, do not be afraid to continue reporting them to cinema management for further action. I take this seriously to help local producers who are facing such issues,” he said.

Upin & Ipin: Keris Siamang Tunggal premiered in cinemas in Malaysia on 21 March and will be screened throughout Indonesia, Taiwan, China and Japan in the coming days.

It is produced by Les’ Copaque Production an animation company that tied up with Astro Holdings Malaysia last October.