Pirates of Penang (Part 1)
My wife wants me to change the title to Pirates of Malaysia but I like Pirates of Penang. It has a ring to it! Plus this is about my experience of pirates in Penang.
I cannot understand why I keep seeing articles in the newspaper about how Malaysia is cracking down on people who sell pirated movie DVDs, Music CDs and software and yet I see nothing changing. The Prangin Mall in Georgetown still has a dozen shops that sell pirated movies, music and software. It's been this way for the nearly 2 years I've been here. Nothing has changed.
I hear that shops get closed down and people get arrested and I've seen raids and yet a new store opens in its place.
Last week I went to the Malaysian market that pops up in my neighborhood every Tuesday and there are a few stands selling pirated movies and yet the police station is across the street. I was tempted to walk into the police station and point out the criminals breaking the law and see what would happen but it was only a thought ... until today.
After church today I was talking to someone and I asked how these pirates can operate in the malls and across the street from a police station. She said it's because there is a demand for the low cost pirate stuff. She did not think there was anything wrong. She said these people are making an "honest living" and besides, people in Hollywood are rich.
Reminds me of Robin Hood ... steal from the rich, give to the poor. So I pointed out that stealing is wrong even if it's a poor person stealing from a rich person. I also pointed out that she is a Christian and that when she buys pirated goods, she's breaking the law. She is a criminal and a sinner, I pointed out.
I also pointed out that if she knows that someone is committing a crime, it is her duty as a Christian to report them to the police.
I then said that this Tuesday during the Malaysian Market when all the pirates are selling their goods, I'm going to march into the police station and report their criminal activity.
She repeated herself saying that these poor people are struggling to make an honest living and asked if I would rather they rob people. I said that they are robbing people. They're robbing me. I consider the movie, music and software industries as my industries. I support my industries. They're stealing from me and I want it stopped now!
She got angry and left.
Kelly and I then went to the mall to watch the movie Torando then afterwards we met some of her friends at McDonald's. I wanted to know where security was so that I could report the pirates but her friends warned me against it. They said that the gangs will know that I reported them and they will kill me. They have lots of money and there's no way you can stop them because they bribe officials and the government is corrupt.
So now Kelly's freaking out and she's asking me not to report the pirates. I told her that if she's worried, I would go alone and call her after I'm done. They continued to try to talk me out of it but I said that I'm done talking ... goodbye.
After asking around I finally found the home base for security for the entire Prangin Mall ... a tiny hole in the wall office. The two people there didn't speak English so they called another person to come and speak to me. Kelly had followed me and was standing outside the office but at some point disappeared.
I pointed out that there are stores in the Prangin mall selling illegal movies, music and software. He said that he knows about it and that they try to close them down quite frequently but that the pirates have a lot of money and they are able to bribe the officials and stay open.
I asked him why he permits these stores to stay open. Can't he just walk up stairs and close them down? He said that he does not have the authority. I asked him who has the authority because I want to speak to them directly. He said the office name is "International Affairs".
So I thanked him for his time and left. I found Kelly and nobody tried to kill me. For Part 2 I will visit the police station Tuesday night across the street from the Malay Market to see what they have to say about the criminals across the street.
If I manage to contact and interview someone from International Affairs, that will be Part 3.
I cannot understand why I keep seeing articles in the newspaper about how Malaysia is cracking down on people who sell pirated movie DVDs, Music CDs and software and yet I see nothing changing. The Prangin Mall in Georgetown still has a dozen shops that sell pirated movies, music and software. It's been this way for the nearly 2 years I've been here. Nothing has changed.
I hear that shops get closed down and people get arrested and I've seen raids and yet a new store opens in its place.
Last week I went to the Malaysian market that pops up in my neighborhood every Tuesday and there are a few stands selling pirated movies and yet the police station is across the street. I was tempted to walk into the police station and point out the criminals breaking the law and see what would happen but it was only a thought ... until today.
After church today I was talking to someone and I asked how these pirates can operate in the malls and across the street from a police station. She said it's because there is a demand for the low cost pirate stuff. She did not think there was anything wrong. She said these people are making an "honest living" and besides, people in Hollywood are rich.
Reminds me of Robin Hood ... steal from the rich, give to the poor. So I pointed out that stealing is wrong even if it's a poor person stealing from a rich person. I also pointed out that she is a Christian and that when she buys pirated goods, she's breaking the law. She is a criminal and a sinner, I pointed out.
I also pointed out that if she knows that someone is committing a crime, it is her duty as a Christian to report them to the police.
I then said that this Tuesday during the Malaysian Market when all the pirates are selling their goods, I'm going to march into the police station and report their criminal activity.
She repeated herself saying that these poor people are struggling to make an honest living and asked if I would rather they rob people. I said that they are robbing people. They're robbing me. I consider the movie, music and software industries as my industries. I support my industries. They're stealing from me and I want it stopped now!
She got angry and left.
Kelly and I then went to the mall to watch the movie Torando then afterwards we met some of her friends at McDonald's. I wanted to know where security was so that I could report the pirates but her friends warned me against it. They said that the gangs will know that I reported them and they will kill me. They have lots of money and there's no way you can stop them because they bribe officials and the government is corrupt.
So now Kelly's freaking out and she's asking me not to report the pirates. I told her that if she's worried, I would go alone and call her after I'm done. They continued to try to talk me out of it but I said that I'm done talking ... goodbye.
After asking around I finally found the home base for security for the entire Prangin Mall ... a tiny hole in the wall office. The two people there didn't speak English so they called another person to come and speak to me. Kelly had followed me and was standing outside the office but at some point disappeared.
I pointed out that there are stores in the Prangin mall selling illegal movies, music and software. He said that he knows about it and that they try to close them down quite frequently but that the pirates have a lot of money and they are able to bribe the officials and stay open.
I asked him why he permits these stores to stay open. Can't he just walk up stairs and close them down? He said that he does not have the authority. I asked him who has the authority because I want to speak to them directly. He said the office name is "International Affairs".
So I thanked him for his time and left. I found Kelly and nobody tried to kill me. For Part 2 I will visit the police station Tuesday night across the street from the Malay Market to see what they have to say about the criminals across the street.
If I manage to contact and interview someone from International Affairs, that will be Part 3.
posted by Patrick Coston at 8:15 AM
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