An Umno Youth exco has urged the boycott of both the Low Yat Plaza and Kota Raya shopping complexes following a brawl which occurred last Saturday.

Armand Azha Abu Hanifah suggested that consumers should instead opt for Mara Digital in buying electronic goods.

“I think it’s better that we go to Mara Digital as it is safer for consumers, insyaAllah,” he said in a Facebook posting.

He also did not agree with the arrest of Mohd Ali Baharom, better known as Ali Tinju, after last week's demonstration calling for a boycott of traders at the Kota Raya complex.

Police, said Armand, should instead focus on alleged fraud committed by traders against consumers.

“The authorities should take stern action not only to the workers but the company in question as well as the management of the Kota Raya complex for allowing elements of gangsterism in business conduct,” he said.

Ali had led the protest after a customer claimed he was locked up by a trader for four hours after he refused to buy several mobile telephones.

The customer claimed the trader insisted he pay RM10,000 for four mobile phones even though he was originally quoted a price of RM800 in total. He said he was released after he paid RM5,000.

On Saturday, a brawl broke out at the Kota Raya complex purportedly between dissatisfied customers and traders, which raised fears of a repeat of the racially tinged Low Yat Plaza incident in July.

Ali, however, denied involvement in the brawl.

Following the Low Yat Plaza incident, Rural and Regional Development Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob proposed the setting up of the fully bumiputera-operated Mara Digital electronics goods mall.