FAISAL HALIM CONSIDERED QUITTING FOOTBALL AFTER ACID ATTACK

SHAH ALAM, June 13 (Bernama) -- Selangor FC (SFC) key player Faisal Halim, who also plays for Harimau Malaya, contemplated ending his football career and forfeiting his substantial salary after being attacked with acid by an unknown individual at a shopping centre in Petaling Jaya in May.

The 26-year-old Penang native felt that the safety of his family was more important and did not want to live in fear due to the unexpected incident.

“(In the second week after the incident) I told SFC Technical Committee chiarman Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar, that I was willing to lose my substantial salary by quitting football as long as my family was safe. I could return to my hometown and live peacefully, even if I had to work for RM50 or RM100 a day,” he said.

“(But Shahril Mokhtar) assured me, he said ‘Mickey (Faisal Halim’s nickname), I know you can continue, I guarantee your safety and your family's safety,’ and that motivated me to keep playing football,” he said after making his first public appearance at the Selangor FC Training Centre here today.

On May 5, Faisal suffered fourth-degree burns on several parts of his body after being attacked with acid by an unknown individual, and was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for about 10 days.

Faisal acknowledged that it is now time to focus on the recovery process before thinking about returning to shine on the football field.

He expressed gratitude for the smooth recovery process, attributing it to the unwavering support and prayers from the public.

"I hope to return to the field in a month or a bit longer. Honestly, I miss football a lot, and it's not easy to just stay at home. My legs are itching to play, but now is the time to focus on rehab.

"There are still a few processes I need to go through because I haven't played in a while. I need to strengthen my muscles and movements first," he said.

When asked if he could recount the incident, Faisal said he did not want to dwell on it and preferred to move forward with all the support given to him.

He said after the acid attack, his life changed drastically, as he could not do many things independently and needed help from his family - especially his wife - for basic activities like eating and going to the bathroom.

"I hope the perpetrator is caught soon and prosecuted in court," he added.

On May 25, SFC confirmed in a statement that the winger was discharged from a private hospital here after undergoing four surgeries following the incident.

The player, who won the best goal award at the 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar in January, was initially expected to be sidelined for five or six months, missing two second-round matches of the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers against Kyrgyzstan and Taiwan next month.

Meanwhile, Shahril assured that the player need not worry about his welfare and needs during the recovery process, as he still had a long-term contract until the end of 2027.

“It is our responsibility as employers to look after the welfare of all players, including Mickey.

"The club will continue to provide mental, physical, and financial support to Mickey until he can return to action. With the spirit shown by Mickey, (God willing) it's not impossible for him to come back," said Shahril.

-- BERNAMA