KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 — A shop owner was fined RM40,000, in default 12 months’ jail, by the Sessions Court here, today for possessing 14 copies of pirated music video subscriptions for sale.

Judge Emelia Kaswati Mohamad Khalid meted out the sentence on Chong Wei Teck, 32, who runs karaoke equipment repair service, after he pleaded guilty to committing the act at premises in Jalan Danau Saujana, Taman Danau Kota, Setapak here, at noon on April 26.

He was charged with possessing 14 copies of music videos copyrighted by Hup Hup Sdn Bhd and Rock Records Sdn Bhd for sale purposes, under Section 41(1)(d) of the Copyrights Act 1987.

In mitigation, lawyer Hairul Anwar Hairudin who represented the accused said his client was the sole breadwinner of his family while prosecuting officer from the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) Khatijah Abdul Rajah said the accused’s action had caused losses to all parties and the government viewed the offence seriously as it would tarnish the image and kill the country’s creative industry.

In the same court, businesswoman Noorhidayu Abdullah, 34, was fined RM15,000, in default six months’ jail, after she pleaded guilty to falsifying the trademark of 20 hair clippers at her premises in GM Plaza, Lorong Haji Taib 5 here, at 1.30 pm on Aug 13, 2020.

She was charged under Section 99(1)(b) of the Trademarks Act 2019 which carries a fine of not more than RM1 million or imprisonment of up to five years, or both. The accused paid the fine.

KPDNHEP’s prosecuting officer M. Jesuthasen Nair appeared for the prosecution while the accused was unrepresented. — Bernama