ASP Amin Sidek, who leads the Bomb Disposal Unit at the Terengganu police headquarters, said the explosive capacity of these relics should not be taken lightly.
In an interview with Bernama, he said the bombs had remained undetected for a number of reasons.
One of these reasons was that many areas in the state had yet to be explored for development, he said, adding that the bombs could be unearthed during construction work, as had happened in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Johor.
Amin, who has 19 years of experience in handling firearms and bombs, said the people must remain alert at all times and immediately report any bomb sightings to the authorities.
Last year, seven such bombs were found, three of them in the district of Kemaman. Most of them were detected in oil palm plantations.
Amin said although Terengganu might not have very many undetected bombs, the risk of death or injury remained great as the state had to endure the wet season during the north-east monsoon.
“Incessant heavy rain, erosion and major floods can unearth the old bombs,” he said, adding that the authorities were thankful that no death or injury had occurred in Terengganu due to bomb explosions.
Amin advised the people against touching or removing any old bombs they might come across as the relics do not have a shelf life.
“Workers at construction sites and people in locations that have just recovered from the floods or erosion have to be cautious because they face the highest possibility of finding the relics.
“Do not panic when you find a bomb. Immediately call 999 to enable the Bomb Disposal Unit to get there fast and defuse the bomb safely.”
He also warned the people against making prank calls on the matter, adding that the police could pinpoint the culprits using the latest technology.
Offenders could be charged with criminal intimidation under Section 506 of the Penal Code, which provides for a jail term of up to seven years upon conviction, he said.
Amin said he had responded to prank calls several times and had been disappointed to learn that the calls were made by children.
When asked whether he had been in an emergency situation when defusing a bomb, Amin said the safety of the public was more important than that of the bomb disposal experts.