This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on December 22, 2015.

KUALA LUMPUR: Police have arrested a parking attendant as investigations continue into Sunday’s brawl at the Kota Raya shopping complex, sparked by claims that a mobile phone shop had been caught cheating its customers.

The Star reported that the 38-year-old man was suspected of being part of the group who assaulted shop workers. Dang Wangi deputy police chief Superintendent Habibi Majinji said police were looking for others involved in the fracas.

 “We will release the images of the suspects in due time,” he told the paper.

It has been claimed that fighting broke out after mobile phone buyers claimed they had been cheated by traders. But Habibi said those who claimed to have been cheated only lodged a report after the incident.

“From what I understand, they responded to a call on Facebook to band together and claim a refund.

“We have identified the Facebook user behind the posting and will take action as necessary,” he said, and warned groups against taking the law into their own hands.

The Star also quoted him as saying that traders in Kota Raya suffered losses amounting to RM15,000, following the brawl. The case is being investigated under Section 148 of the Penal Code for rioting, and Section 394 for robbery and causing injury.

Shortly before the incident, which left two people injured, the Muslim Consumers’ Association of Malaysia held a press conference outside the shop, demanding refunds for those allegedly cheated by traders.

“They came shortly after the group held a press conference outside the shop to demand refunds. There were about 20 men who came with sticks and helmets and got into a fight with about eight workers in the shop,” Dang Wangi CID chief Deputy Superintendent M Gunalan told The Star. — The Malaysian Insider