POLICE have detained two men in connection with a firework explosion that injured 22 people during Deepavali celebrations in Jalan Paya Besar, Kulim, just after midnight on Sunday.
Kulim District Police Chief, Superintendent Zulkifli Azizan, confirmed that the suspects were arrested on Monday in separate locations—Taman Senangin and Paya Besar—following the circulation of a 22-second video of the incident on social media.
“The first suspect, aged 34, resides in Bandar Baru Sentul, Kuala Lumpur, and works in customer service. The second, aged 23, is a shop assistant living on Jalan Paya Besar in Lunas,” he said in a statement late Monday night.
Both men have prior criminal records, although initial urine tests returned negative for drugs.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that both suspects were loitering with several friends at the scene. The first suspect, who was intoxicated, purchased a ‘kelapa’-type firework from a roadside stall for RM200,” Zulkifli said.
He added that the suspect then inserted the explosive into a metal cylinder located by the roadside while several friends and passers-by watched the impromptu display.
“The second suspect lit the firework, but it failed to launch and instead exploded at ground level—likely because the device had been inserted upside down by the intoxicated first suspect,” he said.
The explosion injured 22 bystanders. One male victim sustained a serious head injury, including a fractured forehead, and was referred to Penang Hospital, where he remains unconscious.
Ten of the victims have already given statements to police. Authorities have identified the firework vendor, and the case is being investigated under Section 8 of the Explosives Act 1958 and Section 326 of the Penal Code.
Special Officer to the Minister of Home Affairs, Saiful Ambar Abdullah Ambar, visited victims still hospitalised in Kulim.
“Of the 22 injured, I visited five still receiving treatment in the red zone of Kulim Hospital, including a young girl, a woman, and three men,” he told reporters on Monday.
“We will attempt to trace the other victims who have since been discharged. Efforts will be made to support those affected. As for the incident, we should await the outcome of the official investigation,” he said.
Police were alerted to the explosion around 12:45am when officers on crime prevention patrol noticed a traffic jam and a crowd gathered along Jalan Paya Besar. - October 21, 2025
