KUALA LUMPUR: The students who were seen waving the China flag at a private school in Penang in viral images recently, are not Malaysian citizens, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said.
He said the matter was clarified by Penang State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai, who stated that the students in question were part of a group of 33 students from China studying at the Chun Ling Private Secondary School.
"They are not Malaysian citizens; they study at the school, and there are other images showing both Chinese and Malaysian students together, participating in an activity where each group was waving their respective national or state flags.
"I saw (in those images) that the Chinese students were waving the China flag, while some students waved the Jalur Gemilang, and others waved the Penang flag," he told reporters after attending the Lembah Pantai Health Programme with IMU Cares at the Kerinchi People's Housing Project (PPR) here today.
Fahmi was commenting on two viral images on social media showing students at a private secondary school in Penang holding the China flag.
Fahmi, who is also the spokesman for the Unity Government, said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had identified the individual responsible for spreading the false information, alleging that Malaysian students were the ones waving the China flag.
He added that the police were in the process of taking further action over the matter.
"I urge the police to take firm action, as they are trying to stir unrest in our society by implying that such actions are being tolerated. This is a very malicious accusation," he said.
Fahmi also advised the public to investigate matters thoroughly and obtain accurate facts before making any comments.