He said organisers of events which involved firework displays could not simply hire certain individuals to light the fireworks for fear that it would cause untoward incidents due to improper handling.

“The types of fireworks used in such events must also meet the stipulated standards and regulations.

“These are among the details that have to be considered by the police before approving permit applications for fireworks display,” he told Bernama.

Besides, Khalid said the area and the distance between the individuals who light the fireworks and the spectators should also be taken into consideration to ensure safety.

Khalid said this in response to the incident which saw 14 people, four of whom were children, suffer burns caused by fireworks at a celebration to usher in the new year at the Pandamaran Sports Complex in Port Klang.

He said the police would investigate the reason why the Klang Municipal Council (MPK) did not apply for police approval for organising the fireworks display, and whether the individuals handling the show had any permit to do so.

MPK is the organiser of the three-day Fiesta Gegar Klang 2016.

It is learnt that the fireworks exploded on the ground instead of in the air and injured those nearby.

Meanwhile, Bernama checks on the permit applications for fireworks display to usher the new year found that many organisers in the Klang Valley had obtained proper permits to organise the shows.

In fact, Petaling Jaya District Police chief ACP Mohd Zani Che Din said they had approved the permit applications submitted by all shopping complexes in the district to carry out fireworks display in the compound of their premises last night.

“Before the permits were issued, the police had carried out inspections on the open area to be used as the launch site and had also inspected all fireworks to be lighted during the show,” he told Bernama.

Zani added that each launch area must have the appropriate safe distance and that no spectator should be allowed to enter the area.