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SCMP Reporter

Software piracy has been growing faster in Singapore than anywhere else in the Asia-Pacific, according to a Business Software Alliance (BSA) survey.

 While worldwide piracy rates declined last year, the software industry's international watchdog said violations in Singapore rose more than 10 per cent to 59 per cent of all newly installed software applications.

 This cost the industry an estimated US$56.5 million in lost retail revenue in 1996.

 The regional survey showed declines in piracy rates in Thailand, Indonesia, Korea and Taiwan.

 There was also a slight drop in China, from 97 per cent to 96 per cent in 1996, though the proportion of illegal goods still remained worryingly high, eclipsed in the region only by Indonesia and Vietnam.

 Malaysia saw violations rise 3 per cent, Hong Kong 2 per cent, and the Philippines 1 per cent.

 In Hong Kong, 64 per cent of newly-installed software last year was claimed to have been illegal, costing the industry an estimated $129.1 million.

 The Singapore figures have been seen as most shocking of all, given it has had a comparatively good track record in the past.

 BSA vice-president Stuart Ong said: 'These statistics suggest that more than half the software used on personal computers in Singapore is unlicensed.'  As a result, he said the BSA was teaming up with Singaporean authorities to embark on a two-pronged programme of education and deterrence.

 Mr Ong said the most common infringement among businesses in Singapore was to purchase one legitimate copy of software and then install it on more than one computer, breaching the software licence agreement.

 There is also said to be relatively widespread availability of counterfeit business software, illegally imported from abroad.

 Mr Ong said the onus was on management to ensure pirated software was not used in their firms.

 'Software piracy is theft,' he said. 'Stealing software is no different from using a crowbar on the back door of a local hardware store and taking a couple of television sets.'  A Singapore Trade Development Board spokesman said: 'The authorities do not condone software piracy. Serious cases of software piracy will be investigated by the authorities.'  Singapore police set up a dedicated Intellectual Property Rights Warrant Unit in 1995 to try to counter the rising tide in piracy.

 Between January and March this year, it conducted 179 raids.

 The authorities have also been quick to convict.

 Last year, for example, a man was sentenced to 30 months in jail after being caught with 1,480 pirated CD-ROMS in his van.

 Moves to take even stiffer action to stem the tide have been welcomed by the industry.

 The chief executive of leading software retailer Challenger, Loo Leong Thye, said: 'If piracy continues, it will definitely affect our business.' 



Use of illegal software up more than 10pc, according to industry watchdog