MALACCA, MALAYSIA: A 23-year-old foreigner was killed and two others were seriously injured after a misunderstanding at a Chinese New Year countdown party on Wednesday night.

The incident occurred at a workers' hostel at Tanjung Kling here. The hostel is home to 710 people who work at a nearby cloth making factory.

"Some of the foreigners were having a party in their block in anticipation of the Chinese New Year when a misunderstanding led to a fight among them between 11.30pm to 12.30am,? said state deputy CID chief Supt R.Gunarajan.

"We have reason to believe they were also drunk when the fight started because we found many beer cans and alcohol bottles in the rooms," he added.

He said during the brawl, which began on the first floor, the victim was stabbed multiple times in the abdomen by a sharp object.

"The victim may have tried to escape, and ran down the stairs, leaving a trail of blood, but succumbed to his injuries and collapsed at the ground floor of the block," he said.

A group of the victim's friends flagged down a taxi and took him and two other men who were injured during the brawl to the Malacca Hospital.

The stab victim was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

Police have taken 13 people into custody for questioning and the case would be investigated under Section 302 for murder and Section 148 for rioting.