The government should lift the ban for playing firecrackers and fireworks at certain set times and days, since these items have been widely let-off in the open by people of all races, cultures, traditions and beliefs during festivities like when celebrating each other’s ‘New Year’ especially during the eve night.
About three decades ago, the public were allowed to play firecrackers and fireworks during the eve night of the ‘New Year’ and the next day or longer for Chinese.
Apparently, the police had given the go-ahead (green light) to the respective race who are celebrating the festivity to play firecrackers and fireworks during a particular set time and day(s).
Like for instance, for the Chinese New Year, the Chinese can start playing these items on the eve night for an hour and on the First Day of the Chinese New Year. Also, they are allowed to play with them on the Seventh Day (Yan Yat) Peoples’ Birthday, on the Ninth Day (this is when Hokkiens celebrate the New Year) and on the Fifteen Day (the Chinese Valentine’s Day) or Neen Siew Chit (the 15th day of the New Year celebration).
But and sadly this permit had been withdrawn maybe due to some untoward incidences occurring in the kampongs. Like for instance there had been news reports every year that a few children got burns and injuries, while playing with home-made bamboo cannons. For your information, these have nothing doing with firecrackers and fireworks.
So, it is unfair to link the accident to firecrackers and fireworks as both are quite harmless if played with care and supervision, of course, if the players are children.
Going back to firing of homemade bamboo cannons - these children will put some small pieces of carbide inside the homemade bamboo cannon and then add a little water to agitate the carbide before lighting the cannon with a hand-held lighter. This is dangerous because the bamboo cannon can blow up at any time without warning, if the player puts in excessive carbide, especially using a young bamboo shoot to make the cannon.
This is not the same type of firecrackers sold in the market, which when it cracks or bursts the red paper wrappers will then float in the air above in shredded pieces for a short while before landing on the ground. And when fireworks are set off it will sky rocket upward and then explode in the air followed by a display of rainbow-coloured lights in various formations to an end.
Exactly, residents still get to hear loud thundering shots of fireworks in the night skies and blasting of firecrackers at the stroke of midnight, that is, on the eve night of Hari Raya Adilfitri, Deepavali, Christmas and Chinese New Year, each lasting about 45mins to the most an hour, despite warnings from the police that those caught will be given a summons.
It is intense (rapid) during the first 20-25 minutes then sporadic for the next 20 minutes and thereafter for another 15 minutes before it quiets down again.
For me, it was a real experience to stay up during the eve of the just over Deepavali from midnight till about 1 o’clock in the morning to see the fireworks showing up in the night skies and the bang-bang sounds of firecrackers - let alone the feeling of joy and happiness - that I am not alone but in a big ‘family’ so to speak.
Of course, the community has all along anticipated these noisy eruptions of the night skies but since it is only for a short time and a once a year sort-of celebration and a way to welcome each other’s ‘New Year’, it is okay. You see, we Malaysians are tolerant types.
And, so the government should remove the ban for firing of firecrackers and setting off fireworks since it had failed to stop people of all races, religions, cultures, traditions and beliefs from the day the ban was implemented.
LAU BING is a community activist and writer in Subang Jaya.
