Rival pasembor outlets fight over celebrity customer in Penang
The argument escalated to a fistfight near the tables, before moving closer to the stalls where chairs were thrown as well.
GEORGE TOWN: Two rival pasembor sellers got into a fight over a celebrity patron on Tuesday, which then ended up in a fistfight and a chair-throwing melee in a crowded food court.
A video of the fight that took place at the Medan Renong food court near Padang Kota Lama here has since gone viral on social media.
The fight began when the celebrity, who has over two million followers on Instagram, was believed to have sat at the “wrong table”.
A city council worker told FMT that the celebrity had ordered food from one pasembor outlet, but sat on a table “belonging” to the rival outlet.
“A worker from the former then approached the celebrity, telling him he was seated at the wrong table as he had ordered the pasembor from them and asked him to move to their table instead,” he said.
“A war of words broke out as workers from the rival pasembor outlets started arguing and huddled around the celebrity, with one side insisting that he stayed on and the other asking him to move to their table.”
The viral video showed how the argument escalated to a fistfight near the tables, before moving closer to the stalls where chairs were thrown as well.
Northeast district acting police chief Saravanan Velu said seven men in their 30s had surrendered themselves to the Patani Road police station yesterday.
He said the men were investigated for rioting under Section 148 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum five-year jail sentence or fine or both upon conviction.
Saravanan said the seven men have been released on police bail while awaiting further instructions from the prosecutor’s office. He said no patron was hurt in the incident, while the seven men sustained some bruises from the fight that took place.
Penang Island City Council secretary Rajendran P Anthony said a show cause letter has been sent to the owners of the two outlets over the incident.
He said a panel will hear their explanation and decide if the outlets are to be given a warning, suspended or have their operating licences revoked.
GEORGE TOWN: Two rival pasembor sellers got into a fight over a celebrity patron on Tuesday, which then ended up in a fistfight and a chair-throwing melee in a crowded food court.
A video of the fight that took place at the Medan Renong food court near Padang Kota Lama here has since gone viral on social media.
The fight began when the celebrity, who has over two million followers on Instagram, was believed to have sat at the “wrong table”.
A city council worker told FMT that the celebrity had ordered food from one pasembor outlet, but sat on a table “belonging” to the rival outlet.
“A worker from the former then approached the celebrity, telling him he was seated at the wrong table as he had ordered the pasembor from them and asked him to move to their table instead,” he said.
“A war of words broke out as workers from the rival pasembor outlets started arguing and huddled around the celebrity, with one side insisting that he stayed on and the other asking him to move to their table.”
The viral video showed how the argument escalated to a fistfight near the tables, before moving closer to the stalls where chairs were thrown as well.
Northeast district acting police chief Saravanan Velu said seven men in their 30s had surrendered themselves to the Patani Road police station yesterday.
He said the men were investigated for rioting under Section 148 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum five-year jail sentence or fine or both upon conviction.
Saravanan said the seven men have been released on police bail while awaiting further instructions from the prosecutor’s office. He said no patron was hurt in the incident, while the seven men sustained some bruises from the fight that took place.
Penang Island City Council secretary Rajendran P Anthony said a show cause letter has been sent to the owners of the two outlets over the incident.
He said a panel will hear their explanation and decide if the outlets are to be given a warning, suspended or have their operating licences revoked.
Haha...business is tough in the time of Covid-19 ...and a Celebrity dining showing in your Facebook or Instagram feed can be a helpful boost to your stalls profile.
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