Shocking! Malaysian footballer leaves intensive care after acid-attack, confirms official

Faisal Halim (Pic: AFP)

Faisal Halim, a Malaysian national team footballer, who was the victim of an acid-attack, has left intensive care following multiple surgeries, a football official said Tuesday.

Halim suffered burns on the neck, shoulder, hands and chest in Petaling Jaya district outside the capital Kuala Lumpur two weeks ago. Nicknamed "Mickey", the 26-year-old plays on the right wing for Selangor Football Club and Malaysia.

"Today, Faisal has been moved to a normal ward from ICU," Shahril Mokhtar, deputy president of the Selangor Football Association, said in a video shared on social media platform X by local media. Mokhtar said in the video, posted by Astro Arena, that the footballer was in "stable" condition.

The motive behind the attack on him is still unknown and two suspects were arrested in connection with the attack. One has been freed while the other is still being questioned, investigators said. Police have lifted fingerprints of a suspect from the mall and were analysing them to help the search, local media reported Thursday.

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The popular Malaysian footballer scored an equaliser against South Korea that was voted best goal of the 2023 Asian Cup. The acid attack came three days after another national team player, Akhyar Rashid, was injured in a robbery outside his home in the eastern state of Terengganu.

In a third incident last Tuesday, former Malaysia skipper Safiq Rahim escaped unharmed after he was threatened with a hammer and his car windscreen was smashed by two assailants. The mystery assaults in the Malaysia football team have shocked and angered the nation.

Police are continuing investigations and the motive for the attacks has not yet been determined.

The domestic season of Malaysia football was slated to begin on Friday with a curtain raiser between Faisal's Selangor and Super League champions Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT). But Selangor pulled out of the showpiece, citing "a series of criminal incidents and recent threats".

(With AFP inputs)