On Wednesday, 31 December 2025, Indonesia's National Police asked people to skip fireworks parties on New Year's Eve, citing empathy for disaster victims in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra. Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko made the appeal. A day earlier, West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi had asked his province to do the same.
Both were appeals for that one night. As of 3 November 2026, we have not found a new one for the coming year. So what applies in a North Bekasi cluster is the standing law, with one big change: Indonesia's new Criminal Code (Law 1/2023) took effect on 2 January 2026. The night of 31 December 2026 will be the first New Year's Eve under it.
Firecrackers: Bekasi City already bans them
Article 35(1)(b) of Kota Bekasi Regional Regulation 2/2023 on public order bars anyone from making, distributing, storing, stockpiling, selling or lighting firecrackers (petasan). The only exception is an approved cultural or local-custom event.
Storing and selling are listed, so a box in the garage or a seasonal stall in front of a shophouse already falls under the ban before anyone lights a fuse.
Article 35(2) lists the administrative penalties: verbal and written warnings, community service, paying for damage, stopping the activity, and revoking permits. There is also an enforcement charge of up to Rp5 million for individuals and up to Rp50 million for a business or building owner. The regulation also provides for investigation by civil-service investigators (Article 46), so an administrative penalty may not be the end of it. The phrase "building owner" says nothing specific about tenants, and anyone renting a shophouse to a firecracker seller should take care.
Older articles still cite Article 1 of Emergency Law 12/1951 for unlicensed firecracker materials. Article 622 of the new Code repealed that provision and redirected references to Article 306, which covers unlawful possession of explosives and carries up to 15 years in prison. Article 306 does not mention firecrackers, so how it applies depends on how enforcers assess the goods and the quantity.
Fireworks follow different rules
Regulation 2/2023 names firecrackers and does not name fireworks. The main rule is National Police Regulation 17/2017, which uses the term bunga api: items that burn in colours, with or without a bang (Article 1, point 6).
Article 3 brings under commercial-explosives control any fireworks with more than 20 grams of powder and a size above 2 inches. Permits for producers, importers and distributors sit in Article 14(1). Point (i) covers use permits for fireworks with an explosive effect holding more than 20 grams of powder and/or a diameter above 2 inches. The two articles are worded differently, so our advice: if either limit is passed, assume the item needs a permit.
Hukumonline (24 December 2025) summarises that track: a recommendation from the regional police chief through the intelligence directorate, then a permit from the National Police through its intelligence and security agency. In practice, display-size fireworks suit an organised event and are hard to use in front of a house.
For small fireworks below those limits, we found no separate permit rule in the regulation. Hukumonline writes that every fireworks event must meet police permit requirements, so if it's a residents' event, ask the local police station first. Lighting them just anywhere carries its own risk, because the new Code has articles on fire.
Three articles of the new Code worth reading
| Act | Article | Maximum penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Lighting a fire on or beside a public road, or near a building or goods that could catch fire | 315(a) | 6 months in prison or a category II fine (Rp10 million) |
| Negligently causing a fire or explosion that endangers property or other people's lives, or kills someone | 311 | 5 years in prison or a category V fine (Rp500 million) |
| Holding an unlicensed party or public gathering on a public road or in a public place | 274 | Category II fine (Rp10 million); 6 months in prison or a category II fine if it disrupts the public interest or causes disorder |
None of the three mentions fireworks. That fireworks outside a carport could fall under Article 315 is our reading of the text, not a court ruling. What is easier to say: if a spark burns a neighbour's roof, the matter may not end with paying for repairs. Late-night bangs could also count as disturbing the neighbourhood under Article 35(1)(a) of Regulation 2/2023.
Why terraced houses are more exposed
Two-storey cluster houses usually share or nearly share walls. The Emerald 70 at Kingspoint is 4.5 m wide. With so little space between homes, a falling spark does not need to travel far to reach someone else's property.
Four things deserve a look:
- Polycarbonate carport canopies, which can melt under embers.
- Gutters holding dry leaves. December rain helps, but you can't count on it every night.
- Laundry and stored items on balconies or rooftops.
- Cars and motorbikes parked in the carport, especially near a charging cable.
What to sort out before 31 December
- Raise it at the RT meeting. Article 27(2)(c) of Kota Bekasi Mayor Regulation 58/2020 puts neighbourhood problems on the agenda of the RT (neighbourhood unit) meeting. Agree whether there will be fireworks, where, and when they stop. If the cluster has no RT of its own yet, use a residents' forum.
- Ask the estate manager. A cluster can have its own ban on top of the regulation, so get the answer in writing. For a shared event on the estate road, read about road-closure permits too.
- Choose an open spot. Keep clear of canopies, parked vehicles and cables, with a bucket of water and an extinguisher within reach.
- Don't stockpile. Buy only what you need from a proper seller. Skip firecrackers altogether, since even storing them is banned.
- Save the emergency number. Bekasi's fire service can be reached through the 112 line. Make sure the guards know the route a fire engine would take.
- If you're away for the holidays, run through the electricity, roof and gutter check, because nobody will spot a spark at an empty house.
If a dispute has already started, it follows the same route as other neighbour disputes: start with the RT.
Common questions
Are fireworks banned in Bekasi City?
Regulation 2/2023 bans firecrackers and does not name fireworks. Large fireworks need a police permit under National Police Regulation 17/2017. Appeals against fireworks can change from year to year, so check city and police announcements in late December.
What is the penalty for lighting firecrackers in Bekasi City?
Article 35(2) lists warnings, community service, paying for damage, stopping the activity, revoking permits, and an enforcement charge of up to Rp5 million for individuals or Rp50 million for a business or building owner.
What changed under the new Criminal Code?
Article 1 of Emergency Law 12/1951, often cited for firecrackers, has been repealed and references now point to Article 306 of Law 1/2023. The new Code also has Articles 311 and 315 on fire, and Article 274 on unlicensed gatherings.
Want to know the estate rules at Kingspoint?
The Kingspoint team can explain the cluster rules and arrange a visit over WhatsApp.
Ask on WhatsAppSources: Kota Bekasi Regional Regulation 2/2023 Art. 35; National Police Regulation 17/2017 Art. 1, 3, 14; Law 1/2023 Art. 79, 274, 306, 311, 315, 622; Kota Bekasi Mayor Regulation 58/2020 Art. 27; Hukumonline (30 March 2023 and 24 December 2025); Metro TV (30 and 31 December 2025). This article is general information, not legal advice.