Johor cops want 13 to be charged with rioting

ISKANDAR PUTERI: Police have wrapped up their investigation into a brawl at a popular Vietnamese seafood restaurant in Stulang Laut, Johor Baru, and are recommending that 13 individuals be charged with rioting.

Johor police chief Comm Datuk Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd said they would submit the investigation papers and recommendation for action on the March 4 incident to the deputy public prosecutor.

He said the 13, including nine Vietnamese aged 21 to 65, were involved in the fight. A five-minute video clip of the altercation went viral on social media.

The incident occurred in Jalan Ibrahim along the seafront’s Stulang Laut stretch which is lined with seafood and tomyam restaurants and many of them are especially very popular with Johoreans and Singa­po­reans.

“We have proposed that the DPP charge them under Section 148 of the Penal Code for rioting with weapons,” Comm Mohd Khalil told reporters during the closing ceremony of the Johor Police Chief Cup netball tournament here.

The fight broke out in front of other diners at about 3.25am, with shouting, shoving and fighting among the suspects.

Two men then hit another man with plastic chairs.