Copycats Should Burn In Hell

I hate plagiarism. I hate it even more when the thief (yes, THIEF) gets fame/glory/recognition/money from it! That's probably why I understand how Kenny Sia (Malaysia's very own top blogger) can be feeling so 'tulan' at the moment. A reader of his by the name of 'Vivian Chew' stole a picture (which Kenny personally took with his own camera, watermarked it and posted it on his blog many months ago), submitted it to The Star Online's Citizen's Blog and won RM50! Now, if it was me, I will be equally 'tulan' if not more!!!

As an academician, I truly believe that one should respect someone else's ideas and work. It's only fair and ethical, right? You don't want to see someone else profiting from your own sweat and blood, no? If you want to use someone else's work, at least have the courtesy to acknowledge that the work belongs to them and obviously don't go winning a prize or something like that!

This Vivian fella probably thought it was innocent enough to crop the photos to get rid of the watermark and hope to get away with her crime but unfortunately for her, she discounted the fact that Kenny has many loyal readers and one of them is bound to spot the picture however old the post may be. She as a supposedly avid kennysia.com reader should know better! We are talking about a few thousand eyeballs here! No joke! Take a closer look for yourselves.


(the submission by one Vivian Chew)


(the original work by Kenny Sia)

Let's give her the benefit of the doubt for a moment. Maybe she didn't expect to win. Maybe she just thought it was a good picture that more people should see. Maybe she did acknowledge Kenny for the picture but The Star didn't print it. Maybe she really didn't have an ulterior motive. However, when you crop away the watermark, it only means one thing - you conscienciously know what you were doing and there's no excuse at all. You knew what you were doing...you knew what you were getting yourself into.

There are even people suggesting that it was not plagiarism and that it was her own work. Oh please, don't you guys have eyes to see that it is exactly the same picture? Unless someone else (this being the said Vivian Chew) was standing with Kenny to take the photo at the same time, you wouldn't have the same motorbike and car at the same location with the building on the left still under the same stage of construction!!! It is obvious where the picture originated from and it's definitely not from one Vivian Chew's camera!

So please learn to acknowledge the work of others however minor or innocent you think it may be. Put yourself in their shoes - how would you like it if someone benefited from your own hardwork? Worse still, they earned some cash and fame along the way, and you get nothing! Just be original and always acknowledge the work to person you took it from. It's only fair, it's only right.

(pictures from kennysia.com)