PAPAR: Police have arrested nine men, aged between 19 and their 50s, to assist in an investigation into a fight that broke out at a restaurant in Palm Square, Kinarut, near here on Sunday.

The incident, believed to have been triggered by a misunderstanding, escalated when one of the suspects allegedly addressed the restaurant owner in a harsh tone using the wrong name.

A photo of the incident shows two men holding plastic chairs in the air, while another burly man appears to grip the head of a shirtless individual during the altercation

District police chief Superintendent Kamaruddin Ambo Sakka said the verbal exchange quickly turned into a heated argument between two groups of men.

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"The situation became tense and uncontrollable, leading to a physical altercation involving chairs and wooden sticks used as weapons," he said.

Members of the public at the scene managed to break up the fight before it escalated further, police said, according to Berita Harian,

The fight reportedly occurred around 1pm and was sparked when the suspect mistakenly called out to the restaurant owner in a disrespectful tone, which led to dissatisfaction among the other party.

Several friends from both groups later intervened, further fuelling the altercation and turning it into a full-blown scuffle involving makeshift weapons.

The commotion was captured on mobile phones by several patrons and passers-by, with videos of the incident later going viral on social media, drawing widespread public reaction.

All suspects have since surrendered to police and are currently in custody as investigations continue.