IPOH, Oct 25 — Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad today said that foreign tourists who waved their Chinese national flag during the International Guan Gong Cultural Festival in Teluk Intan last night is not an offence.

Saarani explained that it would only be an offence if the participants who waved the Chinese national flag were Malaysian citizens.

"Is it a crime if a Chinese tourist came to our country and waves the China flag?

"If it’s not a crime, then what is the issue? The person is not a Malaysian citizen.

"It’s only an offence if a local Chinese citizen suddenly raised and waved the China flag, as the person will be seen like honouring a foreign nation’s flag,” he said at Miker Avenue in Medan Gopeng here.

Saarani said this to reporters when asked to comment on the China flag-waving incident at the Teluk Intan festival.

Saarani also noted similar occurrences overseas, such as in London, where Malaysians have waved their national flag during gatherings.

"This is not an offence, because Malaysians are just honouring their national flag,” he said.

"So, now we have to identify whether the participants, who waved the China flags, are Malaysians or Chinese tourists,” he added.

Saarani said authorities must determine whether the participants waving China’s flags were indeed Malaysians or Chinese tourists.

He urged politicians not to politicise the incident and allow the police to investigate the matter.

According to Free Malaysia Today earlier today, Perak PAS commissioner Razman Zakaria accused Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming of involvement in the incident.

However, an aide to the minister has denied this, saying the video that Razman used to accuse Nga was not from the offending event, which the DAP leader also did not attend.

The organisers, the Guan Gong Cultural Association of Malaysia, had issued an apology over the incident, saying it was spontaneous and not pre-planned.

Meanwhile, Perak police chief Datuk Azizi Mat Aris said the organisers of festival will be investigated over the flying of China’s national flag at the event.

The offence of displaying a foreign flag is punishable by up to six months’ imprisonment, a fine not exceeding RM1,000, or both upon conviction.

Azizi said an investigation has been launched under Section 3 of the National Emblems (Control of Display) Act for displaying a foreign flag in a public area as well as under the Peaceful Assembly Act for failure to secure approval for a moving procession.

The offence of flying a foreign flag is punishable by up to six months’ imprisonment, a fine of no more than RM1,000, or both upon conviction.