IPOH (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Photographs of a pair of semi-naked "newly weds" walking about near a bank here in broad daylight have caused a stir on social media.

Besides a white wedding veil and high heels, the "bride" was clad only in her bra and undies. The "groom" was topless except for a bow-tie.

The couple were captured crossing a road in front of the bank in Jalan Sultan Yussuf, which is part of an area known as Old Town.

They seemed unruffled and unaffected by the attention they were getting from passers-by, some of whom stopped to take pictures of them.

Comments from Facebook users ranged from an incredulous "wah!" to admiration: "Are these the hottest wedding photos in Ipoh?"

Others were not amused.

"Sadly, this is not our culture. I would prefer the traditional Chinese costume," one post read.

A wedding gallery general manager, who wished to be known only as Koo, said it was his photoshoot. "The couple were models," he said.

Koo, who organised the photoshoot, said the photographers were merely exploring their "creativity in photography".

"They were surprised by the response triggered on social media. People were just over-reacting because they had never seen a bikini-clad woman on the streets," he said. "It is their right to complain."

Koo said he had been a professional photographer for more than 20 years and that he chose the location because it suited the theme and concept.

He also said that he had considered the legal implications of doing such a shoot.

When contacted, Perak police chief Senior Deputy Comm Datuk Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said police had not received any reports but they would investigate the matter under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act.

Acting Ipoh district police chief Supt Ahmad Termizi Abdul Haq said the photoshoot, whether it involved a genuine couple or just models, should not have been done in public.

"It can be seen as indecent. I strongly advise people not to do such things in public," he added.