SIBU: Despite the banning of sky lanterns since 2013, local authorities have to repeat their warnings to the public to not release the small hot air paper balloons.
The local authorities here have received complaints from the civil aviation department about sky lanterns disrupting flights.
“Releasing sky lanterns into the sky poses a serious safety risk to aircrafts. We seek the public’s cooperation to be civic-minded to ensure the safety of flights. The lanterns are also a fire hazard,” said Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King in a meeting today.
A sky lantern, also known as Kongming lantern or Chinese lantern, is a small hot air balloon made of paper, with an opening at the bottom where a small fire is suspended.
In Asia and elsewhere around the world, sky lanterns have been traditionally made for centuries, usually for fun or as part of long-established festivities.
When lit, the flame heats the air inside the lantern, thus lowering its density and causing the lantern to rise into the air.
The sky lantern is only airborne for as long as the flame stays alight, after which the lantern sinks back to the ground.
When released, a sky lantern may drift far from the point of release to areas and heights that may affect aircraft operations.
The lanterns may distract pilots during critical stages of flight such as take-off or landing, or be ingested by aircraft engines.
This may in turn endanger lives and cause harm to property – in the air and on the ground.
Meanwhile, Tiong said SMC had chosen the Central Market, reputedly the largest indoor market in the country housing over 1,200 traders, to undergo the Green Building Index (GBI) assessment by the Local Government Ministry.
“In relation to this, the market is currently undergoing upgrading with some GBI components that can be added into the design such as VSD (variable speed drives) in the water pump system, ventilation exhaust system and rain harvesting system.”
SMC is one of seven local authorities in the state to be given the opportunity to choose a building to undergo the pilot GBI assessment, which is funded by the Sarawak Multimedia Authority.
