Hoping for a big blast, he almost loses face

NST: ALOR STAR: The country’s first firecracker explosion victim this year was more daring than victims in previous years.
Instead of playing with the usual firecrackers — banned by the government anyway — he made a meriam tanah.
The idea is to create a loud explosion by digging a hole in the ground and placing a small amount of carbide inside before covering it with a plank.
The next move is to light a match and it goes "boom".
Sidek Ahmad, 13, is lying in pain at the Alor Star Hospital bed here after he burned his face and hand during the making of his underground explosive.
"I will never do it again," he said, on the verge of tears.
The incident happened while Sidek was playing meriam tanah with his 10-year-old brother Wahab behind his home in Kampung Lebai Saman in Naka, Kuala Nerang.
The two boys had kept it a secret from their parents and went to the site after breaking their fast about 8pm on Monday.
After successfully setting off the first explosion, Sidek was checking the hole when a burst of flame spewed out and burned the flesh on his face and left arm.
His brother, who was behind him at the time, was not injured.
The boys ran home, with Sidek screaming in pain. They confessed their actions to their parents who then rushed them to hospital.
A family member said the boy might have to spend two weeks in hospital.
The police, however, are not taking the case lightly.
Padang Terap district police chief Deputy Superintendent Hamzan Darus said that while firecrackers were illegal, meriam tanah was deemed more dangerous.
"This type of explosion-making is classified under Section 4 of the Explosives Act 1957," he said.
The police believe that such explosive could be used for illegal purposes. The Act stipulates that the offence carries a maximum five years’ jail sentence or a fine of RM10,000, or both.