Public raises concerns over firecracker use during Deepavali celebrations in Singapore

In Singapore, public discontent over the use of firecrackers during the Deepavali festivities on 31 October has sparked significant discussion online.

A member of the public posted on Reddit, questioning perceived discrepancies in how such activities are regulated between different cultural celebrations.

The original post, made by a Reddit user, stated: “How come CNY we cannot set firecrackers but Deepavali CECAs can? My downstairs now got CECA kids shouting and throwing those mini explosive firecrackers. More than 1 hour liao and nobody can stop them. Imagine if I CNY we do same thing what will happen? Double standard not?”

In this context, “CECA” refers to The Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), which is a bilateral agreement between Singapore and India aimed at strengthening trade and investment ties. However, in local parlance, it has come to denote expatriates from India working in Singapore on work permits or as permanent residents. This interpretation has fuelled the perception of preferential treatment for certain communities, particularly concerning rule enforcement.

The post quickly garnered attention, with users sharing similar experiences and frustrations. One comment read: “My place too. I thought those little crackers are already banned in Singapore.”

Another user echoed this sentiment, mentioning, “Me at Yishun can hear my neighbourhood downstairs having those little crackers sound.” A separate post pointed out the contradiction of enforcement: “Illegal hard drugs already can get into Singapore, what’s some little nondescript flashbang-style firecrackers?”

The issue of legality was also brought into focus, with one commenter asking, “I think those that pop when thrown on the ground is illegal… But, those little bottles with a string that shoot confetti are allowed? Anyone knows? Can clarify…”

This uncertainty reflects wider questions about enforcement consistency, particularly as the Dangerous Fireworks Act prohibits the import or possession of “pop pop” firecrackers.

While the Reddit thread provided anecdotal accounts, a resident at a private condominium reported similar disturbances to The Online Citizen (TOC), submitting photographs of litter left behind by celebrants.

According to this resident, “The evidence is in the leftover confetti from the party poppers seen in the carpark areas, lift lobbies, and even at the swimming pool.”

They added that despite efforts by estate cleaners using blowers to clear the debris, the activity persisted, leading the management office to post notices in all lifts—many of which were subsequently removed.

The resident highlighted an issue of reticence among locals, stating: “Most local residents here are wary of being accused of xenophobia and have kept silence over many forms of inconsiderate behaviour by this particular ‘community’… We have racial proportion control for HDB, but such control does not exist for private estates.”

Others on Reddit pointed to a perceived bias in how authorities handle complaints involving different communities.

One user wrote, “Do you live in Jurong West? They have literally been doing this since 4pm and I can hear the pop pop pop non-stop. Even if we complain, the town council will not do anything. These are dangerous and should not be played with. Why are they allowed to break the law?”

A similar sentiment was raised by another commenter who noted, “I was walking my dog in the evening and the pop pop thing was all over the park. I can distinctly smell a strong fire cracker burning smell also. So can PAP pls advise if such seemingly disguised firecrackers are allowed?”

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), as reported in 2019, has maintained that the import and possession of certain types of firecrackers are prohibited. Despite this, the enforcement and public perception of these rules appear to vary, igniting questions about fairness and the influence of social or political narratives.

The discourse surrounding firecracker use during Deepavali in Singapore taps into broader issues of cultural sensitivity, regulatory consistency, and public expectations. For many, the challenge remains in balancing celebration with the observance of regulations that apply uniformly across all communities.