The anti-piracy war in Singapore has recently been thrown into the limelight with the enlistment of 2 local celebrities to help educate the public on intellectual property rights protection.

One of the celebrities, Mr. Jack Neo, had personally experienced the effect of piracy when travelling in the region. He had encountered a stallholder who asked if he wanted an illegal copy of a movie, which turned out to be "Liang Po Po", a movie that Neo had starred in. Neo estimated that piracy of his works has resulted in the loss of about $100,000 to $200,000.

The 2 celebrities made their first appearance as anti-piracy ambassadors at a local exhibition on intellectual property protection, aimed at raising public awareness of intellectual property rights. A joint effort by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore, the National Science and Technology Board and Singapore Trade Development Board, the exhibition included a mock studio apartment showing visitors how intellectual property featured in our daily lives.

Although the 2-day drive was essentially a government effort, the private sector also made its contribution through intellectual property law practitioners who were on hand to give free advice.

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