Malaysian artist suggests whipping as punishment for music pirates

[Len]

Whipping as punishment, says Amy Search calling for toughter sentence against music piracy

KUALA LUMPUR: Rock icon Suhaimi Abdul Rahman or Amy of Search has called for music pirates to be given the most painful punishment possible - caning.

Amy said this in an Instagram post yesterday that all of his band's works since 1985 have been pirated, including their most recent album Katharsis, released last year.

In his post he also revealed that pirated copies of Katharsis were being sold "in broad daylight" at The Store in Plaza Soong Seng, Melaka, and it was high time the autorities meted out tougher punishment against pirates.

"From our first album Cinta Buatan Malaysia in 1985, until today, we've been robbed of our hard-earned returns. Our album Fenomena featuring the hit Isabella was the hardest hit back in the late 1980s, and we sold 200,000 units. Even our latest album, which we spent a good 700 hours producing has not been spared.

"These robbers should all be whipped, this will deter them for good. We artistes have suffered long enough, ever since the time of the late, great Tan Sri P. Ramlee," said Amy, whose post was accompanied by a video which showed pirated copies of Katharsis in the supermarket.

Amy stressed that music piracy will only end when "the buying and selling stops" and urged traders and customers to refrain from dealing with pirated goods for quick profits.

The rocker's post garnered 8,049 views and 24 comments. Netizens strongly approved his suggestion that pirates be whipped, and some of them even chose to forward his lament to the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry.

"It's terrible in Melaka. Lots of these pirated goods in Dataran Pahlawan Mall. I've reported to the Ministry," said Anak Jati Melaka.

"Sarawak isn't immune to the pirate menace. They're found in many shopping complexes and it's high time the Ministry cracks down on sellers," said Ahoi 91.