Four police officers who went to stop a brawl at an Umno branch meeting in Terengganu found themselves the target of an angry mob and were forced to fire two warning shots.

A Bernama report today said the police officers had tried to stop a scuffle between two groups during the Pulau Kerengga branch meeting in Marang but were set upon by several men with chairs.

This forced one of the police officers, a lance corporal from the Marang district police headquarters, to fire the shots.

Terengganu CID chief Wan Mohamad Wan Abdullah said the incident occurred at about 3pm yesterday in a school, the venue of the meeting.

He added police detained six men, aged between 20 an 60, for questioning but they were released after their statements were recorded.

Police are also looking for several other men in connection with the incident.

Meeting cancellation

According to Bernama , the brawl was related to the Marang Umno division's move to cancel the Pulau Kerengga branch meeting because it had yet to hold its committee meeting.

However despite the cancellation, the branch head went ahead with the meeting, which was held at an Umno member's house.

This angered the branch's Youth and Wanita wings and they moved a motion for an emergency meeting which was fixed for yesterday.

The commotion broke out when several men tried to grab the microphone from the meeting's chairperson.

Meanwhile, Terengganu Umno liaison committee deputy head Idris Jusoh lamented the occurrence of such an incident as it could tarnish the party's image.

State Umno liaison committee secretary Ismail Said said Marang Umno division head Muda Mamat has been asked to submit a report on the incident.