FIRE CRACKERS STILL BANNED

THE FEDERAL cabinet has rejected to lift the ban on fire crackers during the Chinese New Year period. This was decided during the last cabinet meeting on the 19th of January. The hope of using fire crackers and fire works for the Chinese people to celebrate their CNY has gone.

The decision was made only allowing the associations to apply for firing crackers, and the general public is disallowed. The police will take action to charge those who fire the crackers and the fire works. The MCA boss Datuk Chua Sui Lek also said he doesn’t want to allow the people to use fire crackers to celebrate the new year.

KK MP Hiew said the announcement comes as a total disappointment for the Chinese to celebrate their new year. The general feeling is that why the Ministry of Home Affair after careful studies with a special committee requested the government to allow the fire crackers, and yet the Cabinet rejected their proposal.

Now what is the use to allow only associations to apply for permit to use the fire crackers when there is practically no time for them to get the approval for the new year period. May be you only get the approval after the CNY. Furthermore, where are we going to buy the fire crackers and fire works? Since there is no permit to import the fire crackers and fire works, what is the use of having the permit?

Is the Federal Cabinet telling the people to buy the smuggled fire crackers or rather they are encouraging the people to increase the illegal smuggling of fire crackers and fire works into the country? We will not have time to get these imported even though it is allowed.

This made the people real sore and angry because the BN government is not really thinking correctly and for the benefits of the people. They always said the use of fire crackers are dangerous and can cause fire, why the Ministry of Home Affairs proposed it in the first place? Is this propaganda to make the people to believe the BN is doing something for the sake of the people? These would no longer work because we will not believe them anymore. The whole issue reflected the BN’s ill intention and their inappropriate attitudes, say one thing and do the other.

The use of fire crackers in festive seasons for the various communities and religions should be considered and arranged for the safe use. Even thought if the permits are necessary, it should be given at a very early stage, and not last minute announcement and cancellation.