A spokesman at the Kuala Lumpur fire and rescue operations centre said the seven, comprising three men and four women, suffered minor injuries.

He said a team was sent to the scene after a distress call was received at about 9.20pm.

The injured were sent to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital for treatment. 

Kuala Lumpur traffic investigation and enforcement department head Sarifudin Mohd Salleh said the driver of a car, aged 57, believed to be drink-driving, was arrested at the scene.

He said the man, who was driving a multipurpose vehicle, was heading towards the city centre from Petaling Jaya when he lost control of the wheel, causing the vehicle to crash into a car parked by the roadside.

“The impact caused the car to move forward and ram into another car parked in front of the restaurant, which then crashed into two pedestrians nearby and customers at the outdoor dining area of the restaurant,” he said in a statement today.

Sarifudin said early screening on the driver found that his blood alcohol content exceeded the prescribed limit.