JOHOR BARU: The Johor government will tighten standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the sale of fireworks, says state housing and local government committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor.
The move follows an incident on Monday (March 23) when a fire at a temporary roadside fireworks stall in Kampung Datuk Sulaiman Menteri destroyed a vehicle and a food truck.
In the 8.30pm incident, the fire spread quickly through the stall structure and inflicted 80% damage on the car and 70% damage on the food truck.
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Elaborating on the SOPs, Jafni said: "The sale of fireworks is subject to permits issued by the police, while business licences and approval of sales locations fall under the jurisdiction of local authorities."
He added that the state is proposing additional measures, including technical courses for vendors and a review of the types and quantities of fireworks allowed, noting that stricter controls are needed, particularly for larger firecrackers.
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"The suggested measures are in response to worries about temporary tents used to sell fireworks that may not have enough safety features like fire extinguishers and proper storage arrangements.
"While Johor has recorded only one such incident so far and the situation remains under control, the state is reviewing its regulations to prevent similar occurrences in the future," he said.
