Now Reading
Much Ado About Fireworks, Should It Be Legalised?

Much Ado About Fireworks, Should It Be Legalised?

The current decision by the government to legalise fireworks has received mixed responses.

Subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest stories and updates.


The recent announcement by Local Government And Development Minister Nga Kor Ming that the federal government planned to legalise fireworks has sparked debate among Malaysians.

While some think that it is a good move, others think it should not be legalised at all.

Although in our country, firecrackers appear to be a must during festive seasons such as Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Deepavali and Christmas, there is no denying that it is still dangerous and sometimes can cause life altering injuries.

For example, the incident where an 18-year-old lion dancer lost one eye due to a firework mishap.

READ MORE: 18-Year-Old Lost His Eye To Fireworks During Lion Dance Performance

Fireworks are illegal in Malaysia under several Acts. The only type that were legal for public use were the Happy Boom and Pop-Pop as they do not contain any dangerous chemical substance.

According to the Explosive Act 1957, fireworks are considered to be explosive items together with gunpowder, dynamite and detonators.

In the Act, it is also stated under Section 5 that any person found possessing, manufacturing and importing fireworks can be sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment, or a fine of RM10,000, or both, upon conviction.

Another offence according to the Act under Section 6, states that if any person were found to endanger any lives or property can be jailed for 7 years or fined RM10,000, or both, upon conviction.

According to the Minor Offences Act 1995, any individual who is found letting off banned fireworks can be jailed one month or fined up to RM100, or both, upon conviction.

With such laws, some may question about the fireworks that are displayed during New Year Eve’s celebrations, at concerts or big events.

These are legal because it has to go through a tedious process of obtaining permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) and it is only allowed for formal government events and concerts, as reported by World of Buzz.

Even then the application has to go through the orders of the Police for security, Fire Department for safety and Public Aviation Department for air traffic control during the deployment of the fireworks.

All this measures are taken to ensure that no one is hurt during the firing of the fireworks and to ensure no damages to infrastructure.

Nga assured that by legalising fireworks, the country’s revenue can be increased and it can also be a step towards stopping the smuggling activities of illegal firecrackers, as reported by The Star.

He has also assured that, if the firecrackers are legalised than the products that are shipped into the country has to follow the requirements and standards set by our government.

However, the real question is that will this move by the government bring any benefit to Malaysians?


Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s FacebookTwitter, and Instagram.

Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.

© 2024 The Rakyat Post. All Rights Reserved. Owned by 3rd Wave Media Sdn Bhd