Malaysian football on alert after spate of attacks on top players | Football News

Former captain Safiq Rahim's car was attacked by attackers days after striker Faisal Halim suffered fourth-degree burns following an acid attack.

The Malaysian Football Association has advised players to consider hiring bodyguards, while top club Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) has beefed up its squad's security after midfielder Safiq Rahim became the third footballer in the country to do so last week. who was attacked.

Former Malaysian captain Safiq Rahim was threatened with a hammer by two attackers and had his car windscreen smashed late on Tuesday.

Safiq was not injured in the attack late in the southern state of Johor after a training session with JohorDarul Ta'zim, the defending local league champions and one of Asia's top clubs, which is managed by the crown prince of the Johor royal family.

The 36-year-old midfielder posted a photo on Instagram of his black Honda with the rear window smashed.

“I did not expect to be attacked near the Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) training center. We must be vigilant,” he wrote in the post.

He also shared a copy of the police report he made on Instagram, in which he said: “Two men on a motorcycle suddenly approached my car, armed with a hammer, and smashed the rear windshield of my car.”

“I stopped the car and was scared.”

The incident came within a week of two other attacks on footballers in the Southeast Asian country.

This has prompted Malaysian Football Association (FAM) president Hamidin Mohamad Amin to call on high-profile footballers to take precautions for their personal safety, including hiring bodyguards.

“If you are a big player, you can think about what the foreign footballers do, which is to get a bodyguard,” he was quoted as saying by The Star newspaper.

Star striker suffers fourth degree burns

Malaysia's right-winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care with fourth-degree burns after being thrown with acid outside the capital Kuala Lumpur over the weekend.

The police are investigating the motive for the attack.

The 26-year-old, nicknamed 'Mickey', plays on the right wing for Selangor Football Club and Malaysia.

Faisal suffered burns to his neck, shoulder, hands and chest in Petaling Jaya district over the weekend.

“I'm in the hospital. Faisal's condition is somewhat critical but stable,” Selangor Football Association deputy president Shahril Mokhtar told AFP.

He said Faisal was initially diagnosed with second-degree burns, “but after he was transferred to another hospital, a plastic surgeon classified the injuries as fourth-degree burns.”

Shahril said Faisal would undergo further surgery, adding that his movements and speech were affected.

“We are shocked and disappointed that such an attack happened in Malaysia. My concern is also for the mental health of the other players as the new season starts on Friday,” he said.

Selangor Football Club CEO Johan Kamal Hamidon said security for the club's players, officials and staff had been increased, but he did not elaborate.

A photo that went viral online showed a visibly shocked, shirtless Faisal sitting on a bench with burn marks on his upper body.

The acid attack came three days after another international, Akhyar Rashid, was injured in a robbery outside his home in the eastern state of Terengganu.

Kuala Terengganu police chief Azli Mohamad Noor said the incidents were unrelated.

The Malaysian Football Association urged fans to “stand by Halim” in a social media post last week.

“Together, we all continue to pray for the welfare and recovery of Harimau Malaya player Faisal Halim so that he can recover as usual. Our hero, Faisal Halim.”

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐋 𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐌

It happens again and again that Harimau Malaya, Faisal Halim, sends his children to school and visits them the next time.

Wira Kita, Faisal Halim! 🖤💛 🇲🇾#FAM #HarimauMalaya #StandWithFaisalHalim pic.twitter.com/6AyKjZCKXj

– FA Malaysia (@FAM_Malaysia) May 8, 2024