Perak chief police Azizi Mat Aris said Guan Gong Cultural Association, a local temple, applied for a permit, which was approved on Oct 2.

However, the permit does not allow foreigners to participate in the parade.

“As such, the organisers have been found to have violated the terms of the permit,” he said in a statement, as reported by Berita Harian.

Azizi also said 16 Chinese citizens who took part in the parade, including eight men aged between 40 and 61, had given their statements to the police.

He also said police had recorded statements from the organiser’s chairman, secretary and treasurer at 12.30pm yesterday.

“A man, 49, who was accompanying the 16 Chinese nationals also gave his statement,” he said, adding that 16 reports had been received on the incident.

Azizi said the case was being investigated under Section 3(1) of the National Emblems Act 1949 for flying a foreign flag in public places and Section 4(1) of the Assembly Act 2012 on the permit violation.

“The investigation papers will be referred to the deputy public prosecutor’s office this Monday for further action,” he said.

A video showing a group of people waving Chinese flags while cheering near the Leaning Tower in Teluk Intan has gone viral on social media.

The Guan Gong Cultural Association had earlier apologised, saying the Chinese flags were displayed by foreign delegates on their own and were not planned by the organisers.

Earlier today, Perak menteri besar Saraani Mohamad said there was nothing wrong if those found waving the Chinese flags were tourists or Chinese nationals.

He said it would only be an offence if Malaysians displayed the flag of another country.