The local newspapers last week responsibly reported the incident of a consignment of cigarette lighters exploding in Port Klang. Fortunately no one was injured.

On that same token, one can imagine the devastating damage if the incident took place at a petrol kiosk or in the vicinity of a gas storage center. The Port Klang incident is no small accident by chance. The photo published in a local Chinese newspaper clearly portends the danger for the millions of Malaysians who use these cheap, substandard and dangerous cigarette lighters..

In early 2008, this writer had highlighted the legitimate cause for concern for these cheap, China-made lighters that are being imported both legally and through dubious means into the country.

The government, and in particular all those who have the means to address this concern for safety, would probably have read this citizen's cry. But looking at the flooding of these cheap and dangerous lighters into the marketplace, it is clear that we risk both property and lives owing to the easily available China-made lighters.

It is time that the people in authority took matters more seriously and not wait for an incident on a mega-scale to happen. The government should immediately take appropriate measures to ban the import, sale and use of such devices.

Likewise, the petroleum industry must ensure that all their pump outlets do not sell such unsafe lighters. It is not enough to state that petrol pumps have been franchised out and as such this is the responsibility of the individual pump-owners.

Hypermarket owners and operators including the 24-hour convenience stores nationwide must take responsibility in ensuring that these high-liability lighters are banned from their business premises.

It is a fact that Malaysia can be proud of having its own ‘Made-in-Malaysia’ lighter industry and our safe, Sirim approved lighters are now even being sold widely in many neighboring countries.

So why should the authorities allow these China-made transparent lighters to flood the country at the risk of potential danger from these substandard lighters? The multimillion ringgit profitability from these cheap imports does not justify the magnitude of the danger Malaysians are exposed to.

Hopefully, if the government fails to act decisively, some earnest member of Parliament will do his/her homework and raise the matter in Parliament before another explosion occurs.