During this holy month of Ramadan and the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive season, Malaysians everywhere are bound to witness the skies light up with fireworks in our neighbourhoods. As is tradition in our country, such sounds and sights are pretty common in Malaysia during festive seasons regardless of the celebration, be it religious festivities such as Aidilfitri and Deepavali, or even national celebrations such as Merdeka, Hari Malaysia and so on.
With that being said, while the sale of fireworks and firecrackers has been legalised and regulated in our country since last year, we need to adhere to the rules and regulations set by the authorities and be extra careful when lighting them. Moreover, the legalisation made in 2023 doesn’t mean that you’re free to purchase and light up any firecrackers and fireworks willy-nilly this #RAYA2024 as the government is not broadly legalising such products but is only regulating them. One of the reasons for this is so that “hundreds of millions of ringgit” in import duties can be collected that the government previously missed out on.
Beyond potential hazards to your health and surroundings when using fireworks and firecrackers not authorised for sale in our country, it could also land you in trouble under various laws, from the Explosives Act 1957 to the Minor Offences Act 1955.
In fact, if your illegal fireworks or firecrackers likely endanger life or property, you might even face up to 7 years in jail or up to RM10,000 fine or both!
So, what fireworks and fireworks are allowed by the authorities? Well, do read on below before you start lighting up the skies with fireworks this #RAYA2024.
Only 2 brands and 45 types of fireworks and firecrackers are allowed
Despite the sale of fireworks and firecrackers now allowed and widely available, the laws regarding these products are actually the same as it was before the legalisation made last year.
The Ministry in charge of regulating these products is the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA), which clarified that the Federal Government does not allow “any form of igniting explosive firecrackers or fireworks” other than Happy Boom and Pop-Pop. As for why only these 2 brands are allowed, former Bukit Aman criminal investigation department director Abd Jalil Hassan was previously quoted as saying that these 2 particular firecrackers and fireworks were allowed because they did not contain explosive chemicals that could endanger safety.
Since the change last year, no additional brands of fireworks and firecrackers were allowed to be sold in our country, but the list of allowed products was expanded to 45 in total.
In a press statement on 9 February 2024, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) published the list of fireworks and firecrackers allowed for sale in our country, which are:
- POP-POP
- HAPPY BOOM GLOW OF SUNSET
- HAPPY BOOM SUNSET BAR
- HAPPY BOOM GLORIES
- HAPPY BOOM FLOWER SILVER CRACKING RAIN (20 SHOT)
- HAPPY BOOM BIRTHDAY CANDLE
- HAPPY BOOM DUSH 20 (ROMAN CANDLE)
- HAPPY BOOM DUSH 30 (ROMAN CANDLE)
- HAPPY BOOM 10 SHOOTS (ROMAN CANDLE)
- HAPPY BOOM 8 SHOOTS ROMAN CANDLE (NEW)
- HAPPY BOOM SUN SPARKLES
- HAPPY BOOM COLOUR SUN SPARKLE (18 INCI BESI COLOUR)
- HAPPY BOOM FOUNTAIN
- HAPPY BOOM 10 INCI ICE CREAM (FOUNTAIN)
- HAPPY BOOM 15 INCI ICE CREAM (FOUNTAIN)
- HAPPY BOOM 13 INCI CONIC (FOUNTAIN)
- HAPPY BOOM MINI ICE CREAM (FOUNTAIN)
- HAPPY BOOM PEACOCK FOUNTAIN
- HAPPY BOOM HAPPINES FOUNTAIN
- HAPPY BOOM GROUND BOOM FLOWER
- HAPPY BOOM CAMELIA FLOWER
- HAPPY BOOM FIREWORK
- HAPPY BOOM PILI CRACKER
- HAPPY BOOM PILI CRACKER 3 MINUTES
- HAPPY BOOM MOON (ROCKETS)
- HAPPY BOOM THUNDER CLAP (ROCKETS)
- HAPPY BOOM TOP GUN (UFO)
- HAPPY BOOM TOP GUN
- HAPPY BOOM SKY DRAGON (NEW)
- HAPPY BOOM 14 INCI BESI
- HAPPY BOOM BEE
- HAPPY BOOM MANCIS
- HAPPY BOOM CILI PADI
- HAPPY BOOM PARTY POOPER
- HAPPY BOOM BANANA KECIL
- HAPPY BOOM BANANA HUJAN
- HAPPY BOOM RED CRACKER (8 INCI)
- HAPPY BOOM RED CRACKER (CAKE)
- HAPPY BOOM CELEBRATION RED FIRE CRACKER
- HAPPY BOOM ASSORTED CELEBRATION CAKE REPEATER (1 INCI 49 SHOT)
- HAPPY BOOM ASSORTED CELEBRATION CAKE REPEATER (1.5 INCI 138 SHOT)
- HAPPY BOOM SHOOT CAKE (1 INCI 16 SHOT)
- HAPPY BOOM SHOOT CAKE (1 INCI 25 SHOT)
- HAPPY BOOM SHOOT CAKE (1 INCI 36 SHOT)
- HAPPY BOOM TIKUS 50 (50 MISSILE)
Do note that the fireworks and firecrackers from numbers 37 to 45 can't be sold by the public unless they are licensed agents.
Fireworks and firecrackers are considered “explosives”
With that in mind, do note that as far as Malaysian laws are concerned, fireworks and firecrackers are considered explosives.
This is as per Section 2 of the Explosives Act 1957 below:
Moreover, under the Explosives Act 1957, it is also prescribed that an individual found to manufacture, import or have in their possession fireworks or any of the explosives mentioned under Section 2 of the Act may face action under Section 4(2) of the Explosives Act 1957 which include imprisonment for a term of 5 years or a fine of RM10,000 or both.
Moreover, heavier punishments may await should the fireworks or explosives in one's possession cause explosions that are “likely to endanger life or property”. This is as per Section 6 of the Explosives Act 1957 below:
According to the above provision, an individual may face up to 7 years in jail or a fine of up to RM10,000 or both if convicted.
Nevertheless, MOHA has approved the aforementioned 2 brands, as well as the 45 types of fireworks and firecrackers for ignition without special approval from the Ministry. Besides these 45 types, you may face action under the Explosives Act 1957, though do note that you can still be charged under Section 6 of the Act for approved fireworks and firecrackers if you ignite them maliciously and the explosion is likely to endanger the life or cause serious injuries to others.
As for why only the 2 brands are allowed, the former Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department Abd Jalil Hasan previously quoted by FMT in 2022 as saying that Pop-Pop and Happy Boom don't contain explosive chemicals that could endanger safety.
Violations under the Minor Offences Act 1955
In relation to that, those igniting fireworks or firecrackers not on the approved list may also be subjected to Section 3(5) of the Minor Offences Act 1955 below:
As per the provision above, an individual may face a fine of up to RM100 or a month in jail or both should they be convicted for setting off any fireworks or firecrackers not in accordance with the regulations set by the government.
Meanwhile, Section 13 of the same Act may also be applicable if the fireworks and firecrackers produce excessive noise and are ignited from 12am to 6am. The punishment for this is up to an RM100 fine.
Section 13 of the Minor Offences Act 1955 is as below:
This is why in the PDRM statement quoted earlier, the police warned Malaysians to not ignite fireworks or firecrackers past midnight. After all, shouldn't this be common sense already since doing so would amount to being a public nuisance?
So, this #RAYA2024, make sure to adhere to all the rules and regulations before lighting up fireworks and firecrackers. More importantly, make sure that everything is safe so that the festive period would not turn into a tragedy.
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