KUALA LUMPUR: The sales of firecrackers for the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration seem to have fizzled out on common online platforms, after the announcement of its prohibition by the Home Ministry yesterday.
A check by the New Straits Times discovered a small number of vendors selling firecrackers on online stores on platforms such as Shopee and Lazada, which were less active than in previous years.
Keywords such as 'firecrackers', 'mercun raya', and 'bunga api' turned out to be pointless search terms as they offered no results.
Several sellers restricted a minimum age to view their sales page, and some had temporarily closed their online stores.
The majority of them are believed to have made the move as they are likely aware that selling firecrackers and fireworks online is strongly prohibited.
However, the limited kind of firecrackers that are still readily available are from nostalgic brands such as 'pop-pop', 'magic-pop' and also 'mercun das', which can be purchased for an average cost of RM15 per box depending on the number of pieces sold.
Firecrackers are easier found at Ramadan bazaars and night markets nationwide.
Earlier, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail announced that the sale of firecrackers are now blocked online.
There are only 27 companies which adhere to police rules and regulations that are granted permission to import, store, and sell firecrackers.
"The authorities will continue to implement enforcement following the Explosives Act 1957," he said.
Saifuddin stated that if there were complaints concerning fireworks and firecrackers purchased online, the authorities would take immediate action.
The ministry and the police are keeping an eye on this to make sure that only sellers with permits were allowed to sell the approved types of firecrackers.
