TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Communication and Informatics Ministry (Kominfo) had blocked a total of 1,130 illegal streaming sites following complaints from the film anti-piracy task force at the Directorate General of Intellectual Property Rights (HAKI).

Minister Johnny G. Plate said the blocking was carried out in a bid to honor intellectual property rights and avert the ill effects of the consumption of pirated movies in Indonesia.

“Pirated films generate bad effects on Indonesia. The government is maintaining the investment climate that is being built, including by protecting intellectual property rights," said Johnny during the 2019 Christmas Open House event at his residence in Jakarta, Wednesday, December 25.

He added that the circulation of pirated movies had a long-term effect, ranging from hindering children’s creativity up to the spread of the habit of using illegal sites to other things.

Johnny also requested owners of illegal sites to stop their operations and otherwise, he would not be hesitant to take legal action.

The government, he continued, was ready to facilitate site owners willing to apply for permits related to entertainment service.

“Creating a portal or application to provide movies is allowed. But please submit a permit proposal. We strongly support the development of local applications, yet not the illegal ones, especially those circulating illegal and pirated films,” Johnny underlined.

An illegal film streaming site Indoxxi earlier announced that it will stop operational starting January 1, 2020, to support and advance the country's creative industry.

Kominfo Ministry’s Director-General of Application Semuel Abrijani Pangerapan said on Monday, December 23, that Indoxxi management had so far played a ‘hide and seek’ with the government by moving their site domain frequently to prevent from being blocked by the regulator.

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