KUALA LUMPUR: Thaqwa (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd has agreed to pay RM221,773.20 in damages for illegally broadcasting Astro's pay-TV.
In a statement today, Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd said the nasi kandar chain has settled with Measat Broadcast Systems Sdn Bhd through a consent judgement.
This was for violating subscription terms by broadcasting Astro channels without authorisation at several of its restaurant locations.
"Although Thaqwa had a subscription for only two premises, it had been broadcasting Astro content at eight additional restaurants without permission, using devices such as smart cards and Astro decoders.
"In addition to the compensation payment, Thaqwa has agreed to ensure that its Astro subscription is used only at authorised locations to respect Astro's copyright and intellectual property rights," the statement said.
Astro's Head of Sales and Marketing, Tai Kam Leong said the company is deeply committed to combating digital piracy as it understands its significant impact on the media and creative industries.
"By taking firm legal action and protecting intellectual property rights, Astro helps ensure that creators and artists are fairly compensated.
"This effort is crucial to keeping the industry alive and growing, for new ideas and content to flourish," he said.
Meanwhile, Astro said it is illegal in Malaysia for any commercial premises to publicly broadcast content if it is obtained unlawfully, including broadcasting Astro programmes without a valid commercial licence.
Previously, Astro said in Ipoh that a 22-year-old was fined RM10,000 in February after pleading guilty to selling Android boxes with illegal Astro content.
It said the devices were discovered in a raid in October 2023.
"In July 2023, two individuals in Seremban also faced similar charges. One of them was arrested for selling illegal TV boxes in a store.
"The suspect pleaded not guilty and was released on a RM7,000 bail, pending a trial in September.
"The second individual pleaded guilty and was fined RM10,000, with immediate payment required," the statement read.
It said these cases reflect Astro's ongoing efforts to address digital piracy and ensure compliance with Astro subscription terms.