Johor Bahru Selatan deputy police chief Supt Rupeah Abdul Wahid said the incident occurred about 1am yesterday after the victim, aged 46, and a friend were heading towards the hotel car park on the fifth floor, after having a drink at a pub nearby.

“They passed a room used for a tourism promotion exhibition, when the victim burst a few balloons hung for decoration and pulled down a banner hung there.

“The suspect, who was having a drink near the exhibition room, saw the victim bursting the balloons and pulling down the banner.

“He then shouted at the victim and this led to an argument.

“In the incident, the suspect punched the victim several times in the face,” he said in a statement here today.

Rupeah said the suspect, aged 40, was detained after police received a report on the incident at 10am yesterday.

She said the victim sought treatment at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital, but died at 5pm yesterday.

Police are investigating the case under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, which provides the death sentence upon conviction.