Malaysia will force down prices of original film and music discs to win a battle against cheap fakes despite a U.S. caution the move could backfire, a Malaysian minister said on Tuesday.

"What is suitable for us, we do that way," Muhyiddin Yassin, Malaysia's minister for domestic trade and consumer affairs, was quoted as saying by the state Bernama news agency.

Malaysia is pressuring copyright owners to lower prices, a move that would give consumers little reason to buy pirated goods.

An original music CD or movie DVD in Kuala Lumpur costs between 40 and 80 ringgit ($11-$21) compared with illegal clones available on the streets for between five and 20 ringgit.

Copyright owners, including international recording houses, were surprised recently when the government ordered them to come up with more affordable prices.