Local singer to sue recording company for $5 million

Local singer to sue recording company for $5 million Subject: Local singer to sue recording company for $5 million by KaTaMa on 2007/12/4 12:18:37 KENINGAU: Local singer Atama said yesterday he would sue a Kota Kinabalu-based recording company for RM5 million for copyright infringement, defamation and compensation for lost album sales. From 2005 to 2007, the singer said, he lost almost everything after the company produced pirated copies of his song Throw Your Hands In The Air, a song which fuses Kadazandusun elements with hip-hop. The company claimed it had the copyright on the ‘taragang rasuk’ song, which uses the late John Gaisal’s vocals. Two years ago, it accused Atama of infringing Section 36(a) of the Copyrights Act 1987 and sought an injunction to prevent sales of Atama’s debut album My Tribal Roots. On Oct 17 this year, however, the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak dismissed the recording company’s claim as baseless. Atama, whose real name is Andrew Mudi, said his company Atama Music Publishing (AMP) would file the suit as soon as it has identified a suitable lawyer to represent it. He said he had been subjected to physical, mental and emotional depression after being accused of copyright infringement by the recording company, and he is suing to tell the world he had been a victim of injustice. He added AMP, which produced the album, suffered millions of ringgit in lost sales in Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and the USA. Atama’s music marks a milestone in the local music scene, combining the sounds of ethnic instruments such as gongs, kulintangan and sompoton with hip-hop and R&B. Throw Your Hands In The Air has become something of a hit after being aired on local radio station Sabah VFM, and has even been used as a ring tone throughout the country. Atama said he is determined to make it in the music industry, and wants to be the first Dusun to penetrate the global music market. A telemovie, Can’t Stop The Sumazau directed by Tony Francis Gitom and a biography, Atama The King are expected to be out next year. Copyrite By News Sabah Times...........