A Malaysian referee took out his gun and fired warning shots in the air after a local soccer match turned unruly following the suspension of a player.

The referee, who was also a policeman, ran to his patrol car to get his gun after players mobbed him for showing the red-card to one of them.

"We are investigating as to whether the policeman was justified in taking out his firearm and discharging it, and also why he had it with him during the match," Hussin Ismail, police chief in the southern Johor state, said.

The policemen was taken into custody for suspected misuse of firearms.

Five players, aged between 23 and 40, were also being held for questioning and could be charged for rioting.

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