KUANTAN, June 4 — A 10-year-old boy who is at risk of going blind in one eye after a ball firecracker explosion incident at Tanjung Batu, Pekan last Saturday, admitted regretting his actions.

Muhammad Isyraf Firdaus’s confession was conveyed by his father, Zulrisam Kadri, 43, who said the elder of two siblings had promised never to play with firecrackers again.

Zulrisam said although he was sad over the tragic incident, he must not be too emotional as he had to stay positive to give encouragement to his son who is fondly called as ‘Yah’.

“I am terribly sad especially when I got to know that his eye could not be saved but I must be strong. My child needs encouragement from me and my wife to recover.

“Yah had undergone a three-hour surgery to remove tissues from the damaged cornea and other procedures yesterday which started at 6pm,” he told reporters when met at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan (HTAA) Hospital here yesterday.

Muhammad Isyraf Firdaus was injured when playing with firecrackers at 6.30pm on Saturday, and it was understood that after opening the tin filled with the ball firecracker, he checked to see why the firecracker did not explode after being lit.

However, the firecracker suddenly exploded and fragments of the tin hit the victim’s eye and he was sent to Pekan Hospital before being transferred to HTAA yesterday.

Commenting on the incident, Zulrisam said he was unaware of his son playing with the ball firecracker as previously, Muhammad Isyraf Firdaus only played with match firecrackers.

“Yah bought the firecrackers secretly because he knows I will not allow him to play with them. He probably used the money I gave him before this to buy food items for breaking the fast,” he said.

Zulrisam said the incident took place at the playground, about 30 metres from their house and during the incident, he had just patrolled the area as he had a bad feeling about his son.

At that time, Zulrisam thought Yah had gone home but when he arrived home a crowd had gathered at the porch after carrying his son who bleeding profusely. — Bernama