The power of social media is not to be underestimated. Even an anonymous account can tip off the authorities faster than a news outlet when something goes viral quickly. Recently, a video clip of two men fighting in a grocery store has taken the internet by storm. It has amassed over 18 million views on X in just 5 days after the clip was reposted over 16,000 times by many users.
Even more interesting, this fighting clip was taken from the original posters and posted on Facebook and TikTok. However, it’s not just the grocery shop fight that attracted netizens’ attention most. There were many interesting layers to this 1-minute clip. Let’s unravel every bit of this overnight sensational piece.
Dubbed as the “1 Malaysia” Fight
The incident happened at a grocery shop near Seberang Jaya at 11.50 p.m. on June 3rd. At the start of the video, two Indian men were seen talking to a Chinese shopkeeper, who stood behind the counter. There was no telling what triggered this escalation. However, the Chinese man heard that the man in a white tank top was challenging him for a “1 by 1” fight. The shopkeeper also said the man was drunk and didn’t deserve to cause a stir in his store.
Suddenly, the drunk man took off his helmet and was ready to fight. So, the shopkeeper walked out of the counter and started landing a few punches on his challenger. Another man, who was believed to be a friend of the drunk man, watched and stood closely to ensure the fight was fair. After the drunk man lost and fell on his knees, the shopkeeper asked whether the fight was gentlemanly enough, signaling that it was over. A few customers also stood by, watching this Penang shop fight in awe.
Many netizens commented that the brawl had a “1 Malaysia” element. Even though the fighters were from two different races, they talked and settled their qualm in Bahasa Malaysia. The shopkeeper then walked out of his store and took pictures of the drunk man’s motorcycle to make a police report. Little did he know, the Indian man was already on his feet and holding a helmet.
Suddenly, a loud knock was heard after the drunk man swung the helmet on the back of the shopkeeper’s head. Seeing as it was not a “gentlemen” style fight anymore, the shopkeeper smirked and was ready to strike back.
The shopkeeper skillfully blocked the drunk man’s hit and knocked him to the ground. In an aggressive stance, he landed a few kicks before the Indian man was out cold. Netizens praised the shopkeeper for his will of iron. A few hilarious comments also mentioned the calmness of the person who recorded the video. There was no shaky visual or distorted and unclear audio.
The Cat-Astrophe That Stole the Show
We all know cats can be protective and highly aware of their surroundings. But have you ever watched a calm cat that loves drama? A cat that doesn’t mind watching its owner in a fight? In this viral 1-by-1 fight video, you can spot a squishy striped cat walking closely in front of the camera as these men fight. The cat looked intrigued and tried to get closer for a better view.
This hilarious antic made netizens curious about the store’s whereabouts. After some digging, an X user @muhammadnajib87 found that the grocery shop is known as Pasar Mini Kim Leong. Netizens who claimed to have shopped at the store mentioned that the owner was friendly. He was also a former Taekwondo coach, which explained how he fought skillfully in the “Gentleman” fight video.
A quick Google search on Kim Leong Mini Market revealed photos of the cats posing with customers. Surely, the cat was already famous and loved by local shoppers before the one-by-one Malaysia fight clip went viral.
The Birth of “One by One” Memes
The internet has its way of making things last longer positively. After a few days of the one-by-one viral fight video, creative Malaysians made many memes from this trending video. Some took screenshots and made movie-style posters. Others made trailer-like videos and memes related to the GTA (Grand Theft Auto) video game.
The hype didn’t stop there. After the meme phase, a new video about the gentlemen-style fight circulated all over social media. In this video, the beaten man confessed that it was not a fair fight because he was drunk during the brawl. He also mentioned that he had a black belt in karate. So, he could beat the shopkeeper when he’s sobered. Netizens began to speculate that there would be a continuation or a sequel to this fight. Additionally, the man had an unresolved issue with the shopkeeper 13 years ago. After admitting his fault for being drunk, the man urged netizens to stop spreading the one-by-one fight clip.
Two Locals Arrested to Aid in Police’s Investigation
The authorities quickly tracked down the men in the viral one-by-one fight video. Both parties were arrested under the Minor Offences Act 1995 and Penal Code Sections 323 and 342. Fortunately, the drunk man was slightly hurt in the face while the shopkeeper left unscathed. So, they were released after giving statements to the police.
Once again, netizens were eager to know what happened to these men. A photo of these two brawlers smiling and shaking hands inside a police station began circulating on every platform. A few users commented that the one-by-one gentleman-style fight will forever be a legend in Malaysia’s internet space. Finally, these two men were also commended for resolving their conflict peacefully.
