Indonesians injured in fight in Penang

Indonesians injured in fight in Penang

MALAYSIA: A fight between rival migrant laborers from Indonesia injured dozens and left ten hospitalized in northern Malaysia, a police official said on Thursday.

The brawl erupted when a group of 40 workers from the Indonesian province of Aceh confronted three workers of Javanese origin at a construction site hostel in Penang state, following an earlier tiff over a relationship between a woman from one group and a man from the other.

Penang state Criminal Investigations Department Chief Syed Ismail Syed Azizan said ten Javanese have been hospitalized with serious injuries and dozens of others were treated for minor injuries during the fight early on Wednesday morning.

"The argument started on Tuesday, between three Javanese men and two Acehnese, because they were not happy about one of the Aceh guys having an affair with a Java lady," Syed Ismail said. "The construction management sorted it out, but it's clear the group wasn't satisfied."

Syed Ismail said police had detained two men to assist investigations. He could not say what punishment the culprits faced.

Malaysia is one of Southeast Asia's wealthiest countries and a magnet for migrant workers from neighboring nations, especially Indonesia, and relies heavily on them for menial tasks in construction and other labor-intensive industries. -- AP