I declare my unequivocal support to the recent call by a lawyer and that of the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) for a nationwide ban on firecrackers.

This is not the first time I’ve touched on the subject, and I doubt it will be the last.

As long as firecrackers and fireworks are still being sold to the public at random as if they are “safe toys”, even for kids to play with, I will continue to speak up for its ban.

I was glad that lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan has called for the ban on firecrackers. Not only did Rajesh demand a blanket ban, he also accused the authorities of neglecting their duty to enforce existing laws intended to ensure public safety.

He was right about that. I doubt many actually know which authority is responsible for ensuring that such goods are safe and harmless for public use?

Who is supposed to train the public on the proper way to handle firecrackers and fireworks? Hello, have we forgotten that they have been classified as dynamite?

Rajesh said a total ban was necessary after two separate incidents last month leading up to Hari Raya Aidifltiri saw a teenager lose a finger and young siblings suffer multiple burns.

He said that while their parents may have neglected their duty to ensure the children’s safety, the authorities must also bear the responsibility for failing to enforce laws intended to prevent such accidents.

“What’s the point of having strict regulations if there’s no enforcement? Firecrackers, especially illegal ones, are being sold openly, even by the roadside.

“This is the issue we are currently facing. We have good laws but weak enforcement,” he told a news portal.

It is a fact that even adults do not really know the great dangers posed by firecrackers and that they do not know how to handle them properly.

How often have we seen these rocket-type crackers being fired in front of children? Sadly, even adults take for granted that these fireworks are safe, without thinking that they could easily misfire due to unstable launching, for example.

When there is a misfire, the people watching the display, including children, could easily get hurt. This has happened only too often but we do not seem to learn.  

Hatijah Hashim, a senior research officer at Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP), also called for a blanket ban, saying firecrackers have become a major public nuisance and a safety threat.

“The easy accessibility of firecrackers, combined with peer influence, not only encourages misuse but also turns them into a serious public nuisance and safety hazard,” she said.

Of course, Hatijah is absolutely right and I support every word she had uttered against such dangerous stuff. 

Hatijah said an outright ban would be the more practical approach as the dangers firecrackers pose far outweigh any temporary amusement they may evoke.

“Given the severity of these incidents, the government must adopt a zero-tolerance policy,” she said.

I was also happy to come across a 2023 letter from six medical associations opposing the Cabinet’s decision to legalise and regulate fireworks and firecrackers in the country.

The reasons given for this are to “halt the smuggling of these items” and “to gain from the duties on these items”.

We do not need to celebrate with such dangerous stuff and there is no joy when people get hurt as a result.

Fireworks have been illegal since 1955 and are classified in the same category as dynamite. The Cabinet must realise why fireworks and firecrackers were banned in the first place.

The letter from the medical fraternity said that “fireworks and firecrackers can be dangerous, occasionally fatal, often resulting in serious permanent injury. Children are especially vulnerable since they are unaware of the dangers.

“Common injuries include burns, cuts, lost fingers and damage to the eyes. As senior doctors (paediatricians, surgeons and public health specialists) who have worked with the damaging effects of fireworks, we have experienced personally the numerous children that have lost their fingers and eyes, resulting in life-long disability.”

This letter was signed by Dr Krishnan Rajam, Dr Amar-Singh HSS, Dr Selva Kumar Sivapunniam and Dr Musa Nordin of the Malaysian Paediatric Association; Dr Zulkifli Ismail of the Asia Pacific Pediatric Associations; Dr Iskandar Amin of the Malaysian Society of Surgery of the Hand; Dr Manoharan Shunmugam of the Malaysian Society of Ophthalmology; Dr Khor Swee Kheng of the Malaysian Health Coalition; and Dr Muruga Raj Rajathurai of the Malaysian Medical Association.

“For every child or adult who is injured, there are many traumatised family members.

“Those who are older will remember how our media was full of images, at every festival season, of children injured by fireworks.

“Fireworks-related injuries are preventable and we appeal to the government to maintain the ban.

“The solution to illegal and dangerous activities is enforcement, not legalisation. And no amount of taxes and duties collected will be enough to protect the health and safety of our children,” the doctors added.

Fireworks are essentially small explosives and can cause serious injuries such as burns, lacerations and even loss of fingers or limbs if mishandled.

There were those times when we heard of children in the kampungs being seriously injured by their home-made bamboo cannons. Some must have been scarred for life.

The other dangers which affect all of us is that fireworks release chemicals and gases, such as sulphur dioxide and heavy metals, which can be harmful if inhaled, particularly for individuals with respiratory issues.

Let me join the chorus again to ban firecrackers in Malaysia for the safety of our people, especially children.

We do not need to celebrate with such dangerous stuff and there is no joy when people get hurt as a result.

A total ban could save lives and prevent suffering and that is paramount.

(Francis Paul Siah is a veteran Sarawak editor and currently heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak, MoCS. He can be reached at [email protected].)