SHAH ALAM, May 8 — The unfortunate fate that befell Harimau Malaya and Selangor FC winger Mohamad Faisal Abdul Halim, who suffered serious injuries after being attacked with acid, does not mark the end of his career.
Selangor FC board member Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar is confident that Faisal has a chance to recover based on the specialist doctors’ evaluation.
However, the Selangor Football Association (FAS) deputy president anticipates that the 26-year-old Red Giants’ key forward might require considerable time to regain optimal performance.
“From what I saw today and what the doctors have informed me, I am confident that Mickey (Faisal’s nickname among fans) will recover, but it is important to remember that the trauma he experienced is not easy to overcome.
“One is in terms of physical recovery, which is ongoing, and the other is his psychological state. I believe it will take at least six months for him to recover — not to his full fitness level, but at least to a level where he can start to play,” he told the press at a private hospital today
When asked if fans would be able to see Faisal returning to his previous form, Shahril said: “I cannot guarantee that—only God can. But deep inside, I am hopeful, InsyaAllah, because everyone knows that he is a small guy with a big spirit, and that is his strength.”
Earlier in the morning, Raja Muda Selangor Tengku Amir Shah, who is also Selangor FC chairman, spent half an hour visiting Faisal, who is reportedly in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the hospital.
On Sunday (May 5), the local football scene was shocked by the incident in which Faisal was injured from an acid attack at a shopping centre in Petaling Jaya.
He was confirmed to have suffered fourth-degree burns on several parts of his body and underwent his first surgery on Sunday night. His movement and speech are also limited.
The player, who won the Best Goal Award at the 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar in January, is expected to be sidelined for at least five or six months, missing out on two matches in the second round of the World Cup 2026/Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers against Kyrgyzstan and Taiwan next month.
The incident was the second tragic event affecting a national player after Terengganu FC loan player Muhammad Akhyar Abdul Rashid sustained head and leg injuries after being attacked by two robbers at his residential area in Kuala Terengganu on Thursday (May 2).
The attacks on national football players have taken a new turn as Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) player Safiq Rahim came under attack by two men on a motorcycle who smashed the rear window of his car with a metal hammer in Johor Bahru yesterday.
— Bernama
