MCMC to crackdown on illegal satellite dish use in Camerons

CYBERJAYA: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will start cracking down on the possession and use of illegal satellite dishes in Cameron Highlands, a practice reported to be rampant there.

Head of monitoring and enforcement, Zulkarnain Mohd Yasin said the MCMC was informed of the widespread use of satellite dishes in the area by a special task force headed by the National Security Council (MKN).

He said the widespread use of satellite dishes were believed to be in illegal settlements inhabited by foreign immigrants.

"MCMC will work with MKN, the police and a few other enforcement agencies," he said in a statement here, Saturday.

He admitted that it was tough to crack down on all of them, because of constraints, such as the placement of the dishes identified were on hilly terrain and slopes which would make it difficult for authorities to reach with ordinary vehicles.

He also said the process of identifying owners and users of satellite dishes was also difficult.

Zulkarnain said ownership and use of illegal satellite dishes was an offence under Section 239 of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, and under the Customs Act 1967, in which offenders could face up to RM100,000 in fines, or a two-year jail term, or both.

He explained that the use of illegal satellite dishes had an impact on the country's broadcasting industry, as the broadcasted content was received directly, without any censorship.

"This can lead to exposure to pornographic materials and retrograde ideologies easily.

"MCMC, as the regulatory body of the communications and multimedia industry in Malaysia, takes these offences seriously," he said.

He said the MCMC would continue working with other law enforcement agencies to investigate and identify the owners of the satellite dishes besides its usual monitoring activities. - Bernama