A top Malaysian footballer is displaying encouraging signs of recovery after undergoing a three-hour skin allograft surgery, a sports official announced on Friday, following a harrowing acid attack that plunged the player into intensive care and shook the nation.
The assault on Selangor FC and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim at a shopping mall near Kuala Lumpur’s capital last week cast a shadow over the anticipated commencement of the country’s football season this weekend, following a spate of violent incidents involving players.
Faisal sustained fourth-degree burns, impairing his mobility and speech, in the wake of the attack, which occurred just days after his Malaysia teammate Akhyar Rashid fell victim to a robbery outside his residence in the eastern state of Terengganu.
Deputy president of the Selangor football association, Shahril Mokhtar, reported that Faisal is “responding well to the procedure” following the skin allograft surgery, wherein skin tissue sourced from another individual was transplanted onto his burnt areas.
“Faisal underwent a three-hour skin allograft surgery on various burned regions of his body last night,” Shahril stated after meeting Faisal on Friday morning. “However, the upcoming days will be crucial as medical professionals closely monitor the outcome of the reconstructive surgery.”
Remaining in intensive care, Faisal is scheduled for another allograft surgery, utilizing a skin patch imported from Belgium. Shahril affirmed, “Despite this, the overall prognosis appears promising.”
The Malaysian domestic football season, set to kick off with a match between Faisal’s Selangor and Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), encountered a setback as Selangor withdrew from the event, citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.”
In a separate incident on Tuesday, former Malaysia skipper Safiq Rahim of JDT narrowly avoided harm when confronted by assailants wielding a hammer, resulting in damage to his car windscreen.
Nicknamed “Mickey,” the 26-year-old Faisal, renowned for his role on the right wing, remains a vital asset for both Selangor FC and the national team. The motive behind the attack on him remains unclear, with two suspects apprehended in connection to the assault.
While one suspect has been released, the other is undergoing questioning, according to investigators. Police have obtained fingerprints from a suspect at the mall and are analyzing them to aid in the ongoing investigation, local media reported on Thursday.
