HERE COME THE POLICE!

QUICK HIDE YOUR PIRATE DVD/CD COPIES!

Check out the flea market along Batu Ferringhi, Penang (Island City in Malaysia).

Flea market? they used to call these things Pasar Malam (night market in English). The shops with their bright lights straddle the pavement; some spill over on to the road. Tourists from the beach hotels like ants swarm all over the place, looking for a bargain. Ang Mohs (caucasians) know how to bargain! Trinkets, dresses, shorts, shirts, t- shirts, samurai swords, souveniers and decorations light up the place.

Piracy is also alive and well at the flea market. How do these guys get hold of DVD copies of movies that have yet to be released in the movie theatres? Copies of the latest music CDs are packed in envelopes. Crowds mill around these shops, trying to grab what's available. That's not all. Apparently the government is trying to rid the island of these illegal copies. Have they been successful? Probably not, judging by the number of pirate copies available. Give them some marks for trying. These merchants of piracy know when government officers are planning to raid the place; the vendors are warned by the informants of an imminent raid. The information is then relayed through walkie talkies. Yup all the vendors have their own walkie talkie sets. In matter of seconds the DVD and CD copies are quickly stashed away. When its "safe" the walkie talkies light up; vendors bring out their goods and continue selling. For some strange reason this game is played through the night. The vendors move rapidly at the slightest suspicion of a raid. Sorry la..have to keep!! they quickly put their stuff in boxes. One shop managed to close their operations by quickly shutting down their collapsable doors in a matter of seconds.

But get this: there are NO copies of computer software!! Microsoft have almost wiped out software piracy in Penang.

Editors Note: I spoke too soon. A couple of days later I found pirated copies of software in one of the malls in Penang. Save your money folks the quality is bad.