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05/08 07:17 CDT Malaysian soccer player splashed with acid, two others attacked
in a week of rare violence
Malaysian soccer player splashed with acid, two others attacked in a week of
rare violence
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) --- A Malaysian international footballer has been
splashed by acid and two other top players were attacked within a week by
unknown assailants, in a rare outbreak of violence targeting athletes in the
country.
Police criminal investigation chief Mohamad Shuhaily Mohamad Zain said
Wednesday that there were similarities in the three attacks and that the
victims appeared to have been targeted. But investigators have not determined
whether the cases were linked.
Faisal Halim, who plays as a winger for the national team and Malaysian club
Selangor, was hospitalized with fourth-degree burns following an acid attack by
two assailants at a shopping mall on Sunday. He was reported to be in critical
but stable condition, with limited movement and speech.
Just three days earlier, another prominent national team player, Akhyar Rashid,
was assaulted in a robbery outside his house in eastern Terengganu state after
his return from training. He was hit with an iron rod, leaving him head and leg
injuries. His attackers fled after taking money from him.
Late Tuesday, former national team captain Safiq Rahim was tailed by two
assailants on a motorbike after a training session in southern Johor state.
They later threatened him with a hammer and smashed his car's rear window but
he was not physically hurt.
"Our investigations also showed that the players involved were tailed prior to
the attacks. The perpetrators also worked in pairs in all the attacks,"
Shuhaily, the investigation chief, was quoted as saying by English-language
daily The Star.
Two people were initially detained over Faisal's attack, but one was later
released.
Shuhaily said police were studying the possibility that the attacks could be
linked to a recent letter sent to the Malaysian soccer federation (FAM)
accusing it of mismanagement of funds, bribery and fraud. However, the
country's anti-graft agency has found those accusations baseless.
Police urged professional footballers to be vigilant while the investigation is
ongoing, while FAM has suggested that star players consider hiring bodyguards.
The Selangor club has launched a solidarity campaign for Faisal, while Safiq's
Johor team has boosted the security of its players.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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