KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysians are very familiar and accustomed to playing with firecrackers and in fact look forward to engaging in pyrotechnics during each and every festival. It seems to be a common practice, as though it is a “must” for all types of festive celebrations in the country.
This is despite the activity having been classified as an offence and carrying heavy punishment.
Based on the provisions of the law, one can be prosecuted for the act of possessing, selling or buying firecrackers under Sections 7 and 8 of the Explosives Act 1957.
The act clearly stipulates that if convicted, the perpetrator can be sentenced to up to seven years in prison or a fine of RM10,000 or both.
However, the existence of this law does not seem to in the least bit intimidate or affect sellers and buyers. Firecrackers are still sold openly and rampantly, and played freely in public during festive celebrations, including the current Hari Raya Aidilfitri season.
People tend to also gloss over the fact that firecrackers have caused tremendous mishaps and injuries, some that are life-long or even fatal.
Commenting on the widespread activity of playing with such explosive devices despite being categorised as dangerous, Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM) president Datuk Nadzim Johan opined that police should act decisively.
While highlighting the dangers of playing with fireworks, he said that it is also not beneficial to the community.
Therefore, he stressed, stern actions should be taken against sellers and buyers to demonstrate the police’s seriousness in addressing this issue.
“It is already enshrined in the law that (playing or transacting in) firecrackers is a crime and this needs to be addressed so that it is not considered a norm.
“Every year we are hit with news on injuries caused by firecrackers, and even deaths. Therefore, the authorities must take this issue seriously,” he said in an interview with Getaran, the Malay-language siter portal of The Vibes.
As long as the matter is not being properly addressed, he said, it will continue to “destroy” the community during festive seasons.
“Parents should also play a role in monitoring their children at home in order to prevent unwanted incidents from occurring,” he said.
“If possible, forbid them from continuing to make firecrackers a ‘tradition’ during festive seasons because it is not part of our heritage.”
Previously, Getaran had reported tactics used by fireworks “entrepreneurs” in selling the goods physically, and Malaysians are no strangers to this.
As usual, they would only put up an array of approved fireworks on display.
They would covertly promote banned firecrackers to their customers by showing catalogues of the items secretly stashed up for sale.
With the advent of current technology, it is becoming more complicated for the authorities, especially the police, to curb the activity, as social media is also increasingly used as a platform by operators to drive sales.
The WhatsApp application is used as the main ‘port’ for traders to attract customers by sending their catalogues of fireworks products along with the set prices.
All that needs to be done is for the customers to make online payments and the products are sent via courier service. Some sellers also provide “cash on delivery” service.
On April 28, a tragic fire at a house in Kuantan saw a 2-year-old boy being killed and five other people getting injured.
A witness reportedly said that she heard two loud explosions and the house was said to have had fireworks items.
Two days before that incident, as though highlighting the disastrous risk of the products, a botched fireworks disposal assignment at a police depot resulted in several gigantic explosions that shook buildings across Sentul, shattering the windows and ceilings of houses in the vicinity. Three people were injured, and 50 cars were damaged.
Police confirmed that the entire cache of disposed firecrackers in more than 1,000 boxes worth RM4.1 million had ignited. The damage caused included 18 seized cars and two lorries. – The Vibes, May 7, 2022
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