East Java's Sidoarjo Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chapter has labelled firecrackers haram (forbidden) for Muslims during Ramadhan, as they are considered dangerous.

Even though the ban has been stipulated since 2009, many people still participate in the firecracker tradition, said Sidoarjo MUI chapter head Usman Bahri.

"Every year, we invite Islamic social organizations, including Nahdlatul Ulama [NU] and Muhammadiyah, to inform people about this ban in a bid to prevent any incidents caused by firecrackers," Usman said on Wednesday.

Urip Murtedjo, the Emergency Room head at Dr. Soetomo Hospital in Surabaya, said that 24 people were treated at the hospital due to firecracker-related incidents in 2011, while there were only five casualties in the previous year.