KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysia national team footballer who was the victim of an acid attack remained in an intensive care unit on Tuesday (May 7) with fourth-degree burns that will require more surgery, local media reported.
Faisal Halim suffered burns on the neck, shoulder, hands and chest in the Petaling Jaya district outside the capital Kuala Lumpur over the weekend.
Nicknamed “Mickey”, the 26-year-old plays on the right wing for Selangor Football Club and Malaysia.
“After the first surgery, the specialist doctors found that it was not second-degree burns but fourth-degree burns,” Football Association of Selangor deputy president Shahril Mokhtar was quoted as saying by national news agency Bernama.
“Based on the assessment, Faisal will undergo at least two more surgeries as determined by the doctors.
“Currently, he is still in the ICU, being closely monitored by the specialists.”
He added the footballer’s movement and speech had been affected.
“What I can say is his movement and speech are affected because of the (acid’s) effect on his face, (namely) his cheeks, nose and mouth. The left side of his body and arm are severely affected, which affects his movement,” said Sharil, as reported by Bernama.
He added Faisal will undergo follow-up treatment for two to three weeks and could be unable to play for at least five months.
National and local football association officials could not be immediately reached on Tuesday by AFP for comment.
Selangor state police chief Hussein Omar Khan told reporters that investigations over the motive for the attack were continuing and that two suspects had been arrested.
A photo that went viral online showed a visibly shocked and shirtless Faisal seated on a bench with burn marks on his upper body.
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.
Kuala Terengganu police chief Azli Mohamad Noor said the incidents were unrelated.
According to Bernama, a man in his thirties was arrested on Sunday at a shopping centre in Petaling Jaya. He was found to have a similar motorcycle registration number as the suspect at the time of the incident.
Football Association of Malaysia president Hamidin Mohamad Amin urged high-profile footballers to take precautions over their personal safety.
“If you are a big player, you can consider what the overseas footballers are doing, which is to get a bodyguard,” he was quoted as saying by The Star newspaper.
