Malaysian police arrested 350 Indonesian workers after a clash between rival clans that appeared to have resulted in a murder, it was reported today.

Police went to a construction site north of Kuala Lumpur yesterday to investigate reports that a person had been killed in a clash between rival clans of Indonesian workers there, the New Straits Times said.

On arrival, they were met by about 100 Indonesians armed with machetes.

300 cops

Outnumbered five-to-one, the policemen left. They returned an hour later as a force of 300, including riot police.

The Indonesians fled to a nearby jungle, but 350 of them were later rounded up, Gombak district police chief Massari Hashim was quoted as saying.

Police also seized a large number of machetes and sticks.