Klang Municipal Council (MPK) director has been called up for questioning over the botched fireworks display

MPK director hauled up over fireworks mishap

THE STAR

KLANG: A Klang Municipal Council (MPK) director has been called up for questioning over the botched fireworks display at the Pandamaran Sports Complex during the New Year celebration.

MPK president Datuk Mohamad Yasid Bidin said the council’s social department director Zaireezal Ahmad Zainuddin went to the Pandamaran police station on Sunday night to have his statement taken.

“He was called because the department is the one in MPK that oversees the organising of social activities that involve the people.

“So far, he is the only staff member who has been called up by the police,” he said here yesterday.



Early on Sunday morning, 14 people – 10 adults and four children – were injured when they were hit by fragments of fireworks which exploded on the ground.

The fireworks were among the highlights of a three-day carnival, Fiesta Gegar Klang 2016, from Dec 30 to Jan 1, organised by MPK.

Mohamad Yasid, however, refused to divulge further information on the event management company that was hired to organise the fiesta. He also did not respond to claims that the permit for the fireworks was not filed.

“Let the police continue with their investigation. We are also conducting our own internal investigation to find out what went wrong and decide our next course of action.

“We are still collecting details and reports for now, and the results will be made known to all councillors and also stakeholders in a meeting later,” he added.

He said council officials, including MPK secretary Adi Faizal Ahmad Tarmizi, visited the victims at their homes yesterday.

“We want to make sure that all medical needs of the victims are taken care of,” he added.

Selangor exco for local government development Ean Yong Hian Wah said the state government took the fireworks explosion incident seriously.

“The MPK has been instructed to conduct a transparent internal investigation to determine the cause of the accident or the party responsible.

“Disciplinary or legal action will be taken against those found responsible for the slip-up,” he said yesterday.

South Klang OCPD Asst Comm Alzafny Ahmad said police were still investigating the incident.

In another development, the Klang MCA Youth chief Tee Hooi Ling took a swipe at MPK for organising such a large-scale fireworks display without a police permit.

“One would expect a local council to be law-abiding and not breaking the law, especially when dealing with fireworks,” she said in a statement here yesterday.

She said the Selangor state government owed Pandamaran residents and those who attended the fiesta an explanation.

“In the name of transparency, the fireworks supplier and event organiser must be named, blacklisted and even charged in court if they did not comply with the law,” she added.