The act of raising the flag of China during the World Guan Gong Celebration in Teluk Intan is not wrong if done by tourists or citizens from China, said Perak’s Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.
Saarani stated that the act of raising the flag becomes a violation IF it was done by a local citizen.
“It’s just like Malaysians waving the Malaysian flag in the UK when they’re there.”
Saarani also wondered if it was a crime for citizens of China visiting Malaysia to raise their national flag, reported Berita Harian.
“For me, there’s no problem and it’s not a crime because they are not Malaysian citizens. If a Malaysian does that, then it is wrong because it looks like they are glorifying the foreign flag.”
He also said that it’s not wrong for Malaysians to wave Jalur Gemilang in the UK when they gather there because they are honoring the flag of their homeland.
Saarani stated that the matter should be left to the police and acknowledged that it could become a political issue for the opposition.
The World Guan Gong Celebration in Teluk Intan the day before involved a religious-themed procession, and videos went viral showing a group of individuals raising the Chinese flag near the Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan while cheering.
At the time of writing (October 26), PDRM has called in the organizers of the event for questioning, and the organizers have also apologized for the matter, saying the waving of China flags was NOT part of the itinerary.
