(Un)Popular Opinion | With Chinese New Year currently still being celebrated across Malaysia, countless of colourful and loud fireworks have taken to the night skies, mesmerising both locals and tourists.
Amid the lighting of the night with these fireworks however, the age-old debate of whether there should be a cut-off time for these pyrotechnics during festive occasions surfaced after a local influencer complained about the noise on social media.
How it all began
Jenn Chia, popularly known as ‘So I’m Jenn’ among her fans, recently took to Instagram to rant about the incessant and merciless noise caused by fireworks being set off well into the wee hours of the morning when the clock struck 12am on the 9th day of CNY.
For the uninitiated, the 9th day of CNY is also known as ‘Pai Ti Kong’ , where the Hokkien community would set off an unending amount of fireworks to not only celebrate the Jade Emperor’s birthday, but also thank the deity for his protection during times of war.
While some reveled in the beauty of the fireworks, not everyone was appreciative of the noise it created, and Jenn was of no exception, who clearly made it known in the Instagram clip.
“There should be a cut off time. It went on until 3am for some. Please. It’s affecting children, parents, working adults, and pets,” she ranted in the clip’s in-text caption as fireworks could be seen causing a cacophony in the background.
However, Jenn made a mistake in dropping the f-bomb in the clip along the way, which as you might have guessed, triggered a wave of backlash that eventually caused her to apologise and delete the clip.
She later addressed the controversy in a separate clip, where she admitted she had no idea ‘Pai Ti Kong’ was such a huge deal in Malaysia as she and her family do not celebrate it themselves.
She also urged those who would be celebrating to give their immediate neighbours a heads-up on the incoming noise that would last for hours before taking the opportunity to call out those who had called her names over the deleted clip, including one which referred to the female genitalia.
Another influencer who also faced online heat over expressing opposition to fireworks being set off during ‘Pai Ti Kong’ was 卢卡斯 Lucas, who cited environmental pollution, fires, and children losing fingers as the negative effects of playing with fireworks.
He then called for a nationwide ban on fireworks based on those reasons, even going as far as to label those who put off fireworks during festive occasions as “uncivilised”.
Should fireworks be allowed till 3am and beyond?
The topic of fireworks has long been a thorny subject in Malaysia, but it was allowed to slide for decades with the authorities closing an eye until it was officially legalised in 2023.
Lack of enforcement aside, Malaysia has long been praised for its citizens’ amazing display of tolerance and goodwill among the various races that have lived alongside each other before independence.
However, it seems that fireworks might not only be putting people’s patience to the test over the noise, but also the unity that Malaysians have worked so hard to preserve.
Among the reactions that I’ve seen left on Jenn’s video, the one that stuck out like a sore thumb was people slamming her for being a snowflake and not showing tolerance for a festive occasion that’s only celebrated once a year.
Being a person of Hokkien descent and a Penangite (best of both worlds, right?), I’ve grown immune to the noise created by fireworks set off late into the night and now have the opportunity to see them unfold in all of its glory right from my balcony.
But, I’m also very cognizant of the fact that not everyone is used to fireworks booming away when they’re trying to rest before going to work the next day, and that’s where I believe the line needs to be drawn.
Yes, I’m proud of my culture as a Malaysian Chinese and deeply appreciative of how it’s being celebrated on such a grand scale. However, my culture also taught me to be considerate even though it may be my right to set off fireworks as part of the celebration.
So as for my thoughts on those who play with fireworks till 3am and beyond during CNY, my view is that it’s rather inconsiderate and the authorities should set clear guidelines on what constitutes as “acceptable timings” for pyrotechnics to go off.
Educate, not insult
Another type of comments that was on Jenn’s video was netizens expressing horror that she was unaware of ‘Pai Ti Kong’s existence, with some insinuating she had abandoned her Chinese culture after having a British partner, while others wondered out loud whether she “had been born yesterday”.
While it sounds ridiculous that not all Malaysian Chinese are aware of ‘Pai Ti Kong’, it’s really not that unusual either. After all, where do you think the term “banana” used to describe such individuals come from?
Jokes aside, it’s quite disheartening to see Malaysians resorting to insults and obscenities when one shows ignorance unintentionally. It doesn’t hurt to politely correct or educate someone when they’re unaware of something, so why are we incapable of doing so?
Just as what Jenn expressed in the clip: “I don’t care if you call me a c**** or whatever. What I care about is your point of view or what you can educate me. Calling people c**** can fix what?”
Thus, I’d like to remind everyone that just because someone else is culturally ignorant, it doesn’t give us the right to personally attack them through hurtful and judgmental words as it’s the antithesis of fostering understanding.
Instead, take the time to talk to them. Share your fondest memories of the festive occasion and explain why it’s celebrated they way it is.
While I don’t condone Jenn using the f-word in the now-deleted clip, I don’t buy the argument that it gives one the right to clap back with vulgarities. After all, we’re supposed to be the bigger person and not resort to low blows.
That being said, happy Chap Goh Mei to everyone and I really hope the fireworks don’t make your heartrate go boom, boom, boom through the roof.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and does not purport to reflect the opinions or views of WeirdKaya.
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