KUALA LUMPUR – Do not be offended if many football players are no longer as friendly to fans following recent attacks involving Terengganu FC’s Akhyar Rashid and Selangor FC’s Faisal Halim, cautioned former national player Azlan Johar.
Azlan, who previously played for Selangor and Terengganu, was particularly shocked by these attacks – especially the tragedy that befell Faisal as it was the first acid attack case involving a national football player.
As a result, he suggested that football clubs in the M-League should enhance their security measures, both in training facilities and stadiums, besides reminding players to be vigilant of their surroundings in public places.
“These days, there are a lot of crazy people out there. I don’t think Faisal expected to be attacked in an open place because Malaysia is a safe country. Moreover, he’s known for being friendly with fans.
“When incidents like this happen, it sends a bad signal to the players, especially those playing for the national squad.
“Even former players like myself are worried because we often comment on the national team’s current performance and maybe some don’t like our opinions.
“For the clubs, I hope they can further enhance the safety of their players, and increase security personnel to monitor training facilities and stadiums.
“I know it will incur more costs. But in such cases, do you prioritise the club’s finances or the safety of players serving the team? Lives cannot be bought with money,” said Azlan.
As a result of these incidents, Azlan believes fans may have to accept that their favourite players may no longer be as approachable after matches, given their right to protect their safety.
Azlan also acknowledged that both Selangor FC and the national squad will feel Faisal’s absence due to his significant role in the attacking lineup.
Selangor will visit the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on May 10 for the Charity Cup match against Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), while the national squad is scheduled to face Kyrgyzstan on June 6 and Taiwan on June 11 for the 2026 World Cup / 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers.
“Let’s give space for Faisal to focus on his recovery session first as he has suffered quite serious injuries, second-degree burns on several parts of his body.
“We will indeed feel the loss of Faisal, but his health is much more important.
“For his teammates in Selangor, I hope they will come out and show their best performance, fight relentlessly to win the match for their striker Faisal,” he added.
As for Akhyar, he will be unable to participate in the opening match of the 2024-2025 M League season against Perak FC on Saturday due to injuries sustained during a robbery incident two days before Faisal’s assault.
In the meantime, Selangor police have confirmed the arrest of a man in his 20s in connection with the acid attack on Faisal at a leading shopping mall in Damansara.Meanwhile, Terengganu police are still investigating the robbery case involving Akhyar as they have not found any new leads yet. – May 6, 2024