TEULK INTAN: In rural Kampung Selabak near Teluk Intan, Perak, villagers take the firing of cannons during Ramadan and Hari Raya Aidilfitri seriously.
In fact, it has become a tradition of sort at the village for the past 50 years.
Each year, some 40 villagers, aged between 15 and 35, will participate in the firing activity that starts from the 15th day of Ramadan to the 3rd day of Syawal.
During the fasting month, cannon-fire can be heard echoing through the village from 6.30pm to 7pm and 10.30pm until midnight.
"The real action is on Syawal 1 or the first day of Raya. This time, you can hear the cannon-fire up till the Subuh prayer," said a villager, Mohd Saidi Mohd Ramli.
Instead of the traditional bamboo cannons or meriam buluh, he said villagers constructed two large cannons, measuring about 6 metre from metal and six smallers ones, measuring about 3.5 metre in front of the As-Saadah mosque in the village.
"We spent about RM42 for the carbide each night. For the entire two weeks, the cost for 'gunpowder' can easily reach RM900," he said.
Mohd Saidi said the many youngsters who work in cities will come back just to take part in the cannon-firing activity.
"They are continuing with the tradition and many come back because of the cannons."
He said so far, there has been no untoward incidents because various safety measures were taken before anyone was allowed to handle the cannons.
Village chief Abdul Hadi Alias, 59, said Hari Raya celebration is not complete in the village without the cannons.
"In the past, we used bamboo or coconut tree stem to make the cannons. Those days are gone but it has become a tradition here since.