Reason for fight: Unhappy over foreigners dating local girls

Friday May 30, 2008

Cops prevent fight at Mantin college

By SARBAN SINGH

SEREMBAN: Two groups of college students armed with baseballs bats, iron rods and sticks almost clashed with each other before police stepped in and calmed the situation on Wednesday night.

It is learnt that a group of 20 to 30 local students from the college in Mantin, unhappy over foreigners dating local girls, had assaulted three African students over the issue.

One of the Africans suffered a broken arm while two others received outpatient treatment.

On learning of the assault, students from several African countries armed with bats and rods, gathered in numbers outside their hostel at a housing estate near the college to confront local students.

Unruly gathering: Police officers trying to calm some of the foreign students who had gathered outside their hostel at a college in Mantin. — Bernama

Following the commotion, several local students and residents of the housing estate, armed with sticks, also began gathering near the hostel.

The groups refused to disperse even after repeated calls by the police, who were called to the scene by college authorities, and attempts by the college management to pacify them.

Some members of the groups began turning aggressive when told to return to their rooms. The guardhouse of the hostel and several cars in the vicinity were damaged in the commotion.

However, a police team led by district deputy chief Supt Azmi Abu Kassim finally managed to calm the situation after a meeting with representatives of the foreign students and the hostel management at 2.30am yesterday.

Negri Sembilan police chief Senior Asst Comm I Datuk Osman Salleh said police had not arrested anyone, as investigations were still going on.

“We are look for the culprits who started the mess between the African and local students,” he said, adding that the case has been classified as rioting under section 148 of the Penal Code.

He said patrols in the area and college would be stepped up.

About 15% of the college’s 3,500 students are foreigners.