Malaysian footballer hurt in acid attack, Faisal Halim, wants assailants brought to justice
- In his first public appearance since the attack, the scarred and emotional player said he would focus on recovery before trying to play again.
A Malaysian footballer who was critically injured after being splashed with acid last month said he hopes his assailants can be brought to justice swiftly.
In his first public appearance since the May 5 attack, a visibly scarred and emotional Faisal Halim told a press conference that he would focus on his recovery before attempting a return to soccer.
“I don’t know if I can return to football or not; I just hope people can pray for my return to the soccer arena,” he said. “I want to continue living my life normally like other people, like other players.
“I hope the perpetrators can be caught as soon as possible and charged in court,” he added.
Faisal, a winger on Malaysia’s national team and state club Selangor FC, was attacked at a shopping centre, leaving him with fourth-degree burns on his face, arms and torso, and affecting his speech and movement.
The incident was among a series of attacks on Malaysian footballers that month, though police have denied that the cases were related.