CAP wants more crackdowns on smuggling, sale of firecrackers

GEORGE TOWN: The Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) has urged the Royal Customs Department and the police to intensify nationwide crackdowns on the smuggling and sale of firecrackers.
Its president, S.M Mohamed Idris, said CAP has been calling on the authorities to impose heavier penalties on offenders, including a jail term, for more than two decades in efforts to combat the activities.
He said CAP believed if enforcement is beefed up, these smuggling activities can be curbed.
He said for instance in one case in Kelantan, the State Customs enforcement officers in one of the operation in May this year seized firecrackers and fireworks worth RM151,160 and the lorry driver in connection with the case was arrested.
"If the enforcement had not been carried out, the smuggling activities had been successful and those later purchase the explosives will be violating the Explosives Act 1957 and the country would have lost RM98,254 in taxes," he said during a press conference at CAP office in Jalan Masjid Negeri early today.
Mohamed Idris said the smuggling, distribution and the sale of firecrackers can only be stopped through strict enforcement and with the cooperation of public not to buy the contraband item.
He said under Section 4(2) of the Explosives Act 1957 anyone found to be manufacturing, possession or importing firecrackers and fireworks can be jailed not less than five (5) years or fined RM 10,000 or both.
He said the current law was not taken seriously by the offenders.
He said hence the laws should be amended to also include a mandatory jail sentence for the smugglers including confiscation of his or her property and assets.