15 Bookstores Close Down Because Students Photocopy Academic Books Instead Of Buying Them
University Bookstore Malaysia said it suffered RM2 million in losses due to 'photocopying culture' among students and lecturers.
By Hizral Faiz Rozeman — 19 May 2022, 03:01 PM
A bookstore owner was forced to shutter 15 outlets after claiming RM2 million in losses due to widespread photocopying of academic books
Managing director of University Bookstore Malaysia Keith Thong said that he tried to keep the bookstores afloat but they were forced to close down in stages over the past eight years as students continued to scan and photocopy academic literature, reported New Straits Times, citing Berita Harian.
Thong, who is also the president of Malaysian Booksellers Association (MBA), claimed that top management of universities have no respect for copyright laws.
"In fact, they themselves encourage academic work from foreign countries to be reproduced illegally. To me, this problem can only end if they and the Higher Education Ministry take stern actions," he was quoted as saying.
If the 'photocopying culture' is not eradicated, the whole book industry will be negatively impacted, said Thong
Efforts to publish academic books will be seen as a waste of time, energy, money, and expertise.
Eventually, the production of academic books will no longer exist.
New Straits Times reported the Malaysia Reprographic Rights Centre (MARC) as saying that local authors and publishers lose RM2.6 million every year because their copyrighted materials were reproduced without permission.
Now, with online shopping websites like Shopee and Lazada, the issue has worsened because no action is being taken against pirated reading materials that are being sold online.
"Although complaints have been made on this matter, no further action was taken," said Thong.
Currently, Malaysian booksellers are protesting against the government's plans to operate a book-buying platform that could result in the closure of bookstores
MBA vice-president Mak Chee Kin said the government unit, National Book Council of Malaysia (MBKM), should not be doing business, claiming it could become a monopoly, according to a Free Malaysia Today report.
The entity, under the Ministry of Education (MOE), had reportedly formed a joint venture with a private firm and will impose a 20% commission charge.
MBA said that if nothing is done, the book trade ecosystem — involving thousands of micro-book dealers, distributors, and runners — would likely die out, with many losing their jobs.
