Some blame for piracy should be shouldered by the software and recording industries, who have 'taken their own sweet time' to act

A Malaysian government official said that "drastic measures" were necessary to curb piracy because the software and recording industries had been "taking their own sweet time" to act.

"The Government has to take this drastic measure, at least for the next year or two, to monitor the situation," Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin told The Star, a Malaysian daily.

Only when piracy rates had bottomed out would the government lift price controls, he said.

"We feel that it is reasonable and rational to reduce the prices but the industry has not responded well as it is taking its own sweet time," he told The Star".

Malaysian authorities are planning to place software and recording discs under the same price controls that govern essential products such as rice and sugar, to control piracy. They feel that the current prices charged for software, DVDs, CDs and video CDs (VCDs) are forcing buyers to opt for cheaper pirated substitutes, leading to the country's notoriety as a hotbed of the illegal disc trade.

The industries have been given till the latter part of July to reveal to the government their production methods and costs, and to suggest a suitable price ceiling.

Officials from the recording and software industries have told CNET Asia and other publications that they prefer that some other means be used to fight piracy, as they cannot compete with pirates on price.

The Minister also announced that as a consequence of the price controls, all dealers in optical discs will have to be licensed.

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