KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 — The People’s Welfare Party (KITA) demanded today the Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Ministry conduct a search of all handphone shops in Low Yat Plaza in the next 48 hours as a move to protect the Malay consumer after fights broke out at the gadget mall yesterday.

Party leader Zamil Ibrahim also held its minister Datuk Seri Hasan Malek responsible for the incident that sparked the brawls that have resulted in four arrests and left at least five injured even as police dismiss the brouhahaha as racially-tinged.

“We are waiting for Dato Hassan Malek’s team to raid the handphone shops in Low Yat… if the raids are not conducted within 48 hours...might as well resign… you only shame the Malay race… A Malay minister… the ones who are cheated when buying handphones are Malays!” Zamil wrote in Malay on his Facebook page.

News agency Bernama yesterday reported that the police had arrested a 22-year-old local man believed to be involved in a brawl that happened at 7.38pm in the mall.

According to the report, the suspect was caught by security guards at the complex for allegedly stealing a mobile phone and handed to the police.

However, the youth later contacted his friends who reacted by heading to the store where the attempted theft allegedly happened and assaulting the shop workers and damaging the store with losses estimated at RM70,000, Bernama reported.

Earlier today, police arrested three more people following fresh fights that broke out after midnight outside Low Yat Plaza here that reportedly left five people injured — three of them believed to be journalists.

The trio who were arrested in the latest commotion, were aged between 22 and 25,  Bernama reported, citing city police chief Datuk Tajudin Md Isa.

They were detained for provocative acts during a gathering outside the plaza, the policeman was reported saying but did not elaborate.

Several news portals reported the early morning ruckus to be a continuation of tensions at the popular tech mall in the city’s golden triangle area that started following a purported disagreement in a smartphone store between a customer and the shop’s employees.

Rumours of the incident have been spread on the internet, with some describing the fights as racial.

However, police have repeatedly said there was nothing racial in the melee.