Malaysian national football team player Faisal Halim will undergo surgery after suffering fourth-degree burns as a result of being exposed to a caustic acid attack on Tuesday.
Halim, 26 years old, who plays for the Selangor club, suffered burns to the neck, shoulder, hands and chest in the city of Petaling Jaya, near the capital, Kuala Lumpur, on the weekend.
Selangor state police chief Hussein Omar Khan told reporters that investigations into the motive behind the attack were still ongoing and that two people had been arrested.
In turn, Selangor Club Vice President Shahril Mukhtar said, “I am in the hospital. Faisal’s condition is critical but stable.”
He added, “When he was taken to the hospital immediately after the accident, doctors diagnosed him with second-degree burns. But after he was transferred to a second hospital, a plastic surgeon diagnosed him with fourth-degree burns.”
He pointed out that Faisal, who underwent surgery after being transferred to the hospital, will undergo at least two additional surgeries.
He continued, “We are in a state of shock and disappointment that such an attack occurred in Malaysia. I am also concerned about the mental health of the rest of the players before the start of the new season on Friday.”
The attack on Halim comes three days after another international player, Akhyar Rashid, was injured in a robbery at his home in Terengganu state.
The state police chief, Azli Mohamed Nour, said that the two incidents were not related to each other.
Football Federation of Malaysia president Hamidin Mohd Amin urged players to take precautions regarding their personal safety, including hiring bodyguards.
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