The Star 11 Feb 11;
GEORGE TOWN: The Transport Ministry has warned that action would be taken against those who released the banned Kong Ming lanterns.
Its deputy minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri said the public should stop “playing with fire” since the lanterns pose a safety risk to aircraft.
“Releasing such lanterns is a new phenomenon,” he told media after inspecting the progress of expansion work at the Penang International Airport here yesterday.
Abdul Rahim said the ministry and police could use the Civil Aviation Act 1969, Section 285 of the Penal Code and Section 5 of the Explosives Act 1957 to capture those who broke the law.
The Star had reported that the lanterns, also known as sky lanterns, could climb to a height of 1,800m.
It can be sucked into an aircraft’s engines and cause the plane to catch fire and explode in mid-air.
When contacted, Penang chief police officer Datuk Wira Ayub Yaakob said they would not hesitate to take action against those who refused to heed the warning.
