MCA Youth urges clear regulations on fireworks sales following Penang fire

 

MCA Youth has urged the government to introduce clear regulations on fireworks sales, stressing that legalising the products must be coupled with enforceable standards.

Referencing how a recent fire at a fireworks stall in Nibong Tebal, Penang, had also damaged a motorcycle and a nearby home’s air conditioning units, MCA Youth secretary-general Saw Yee Fung said the incident should not be considered an isolated case.

Instead, she argued that the fire was a “clear indication” of deeper, long-standing failures in the regulation and enforcement of fireworks sales nationwide.

She also pointed to Fire and Rescue Department director-general Nor Hisham Mohammad’s confirmation that there was a 494 percent increase in the number of fires involving premises selling firecrackers and fireworks last year, with the figure spiking to 113 in 2025 compared to 19 in 2024.

Lamenting a lack of “meaningful or coordinated response” from the government, Saw asserted that it is “particularly disappointing” that while discussions on legalisation continue, there has been “little to no progress” on the legal and safety frameworks.

“The government cannot ignore the legitimate concerns of the public: why are hazardous and highly flammable materials allowed to be sold in close proximity to residential areas?” she pressed in a statement today.

Fire at fireworks stall in Penang last night

“Why are there no clearly enforced safety standards governing storage and display? Are approval processes being properly scrutinised, or have they become routine formalities lacking rigour and oversight?

“If regulations exist but are not enforced, that is a clear failure of governance. If such regulations do not exist, then it is an even more serious lapse - one that reflects a disregard for public safety and responsibility,” she added.

In 2023, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said Putrajaya has agreed to legalise the sale of fireworks and firecrackers, as part of efforts to end the smuggling of such products.

Following the incident in Penang late last night, the New Straits Times quoted Nga as saying that the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for temporary fireworks stalls will be reviewed.

Noting that the ministry will look into certain requirements, including ensuring that licensed stalls are equipped with functional fire extinguishers, Nga added that the SOPs should also aim to establish appropriate buffer zones between stalls, permanent structures, and residential buildings.

While the Seberang Perai City Council has revoked the permit for the stall involved in the incident, police have also launched an investigation under Section 286 of the Penal Code for negligence involving explosive materials.

‘Make probe findings public’

Saw, however, stressed that fireworks regulation must be addressed through a structured, long-term framework, not “temporary crackdowns” following incidents.

Besides calling for an independent investigation into the Nibong Tebal incident, Saw today called on the government to make the probe’s findings public, insisting that transparency is essential to restoring public confidence.

She added that any potential negligence or failure - whether by operators or the authorities - must be addressed, and those responsible must be held to account while a thorough review is conducted on the role and performance of local authorities and enforcement agencies.

“Public safety cannot be treated as an afterthought. If the government is serious about reform and governance, it must demonstrate it through firm, consistent action, not rhetoric.

“Only then can public trust be meaningfully restored and similar incidents prevented from recurring,” she said. - Mkini