SEPANG – The assaults on national footballers Faisal Halim and Akhyar Rashid must be tackled quickly and the perpetrators swiftly brought to justice.
This is the sentiment of several national athletes who feel uneasy about the current situation that has befallen their comrades.
National sepak takraw player Syahir Rosdi said that, as a full-time athlete, he could not imagine how hard it was being in the shoes of Faisal and Akhyar.
“I am not willing to be in their situation right now, being an athlete is my livelihood and I don’t think I can face what Faisal and Akhyar are going through right now.
“We just want to feed our families and these are our careers, and what has happened to them affects us too.
“Furthermore, you are forced to take a few months off because of the injuries,” he told reporters at an MoU signing between the Youth and Sports Ministry and Malaysia Aviation Group at the MAB Academy here, today.
Syahir, who is preparing for the Istaf World Cup later this month, has admitted to receiving online criticism but never to the point where it involved threats.
“I have received criticism before but what happened to Faisal and Akhyar has crossed a line.
“Being victims to assault, robbery and acid attack will impact their performance… worse, their careers could end.
“I hope that all parties can think and behave more rationally,” added Syahir.
Fellow national sepak takraw player Azlan Alias urged fellow athletes to be more careful when in public areas.
“We don’t want this kind of incident to happen and I pray that Faisal and Akhyar recover as soon as possible,” said Azlan.
Meanwhile, national sprinter Khairul Hafiz Jantan feels that the time has come for athletes to prioritise personal safety.
“What happened to Faisal and Akhyar shows that athletes also face unexpected threats,” he said.
Last week, Terengganu FC’s Akhyar was the victim of a robbery where he was also beaten with an iron rod, resulting in injuries to his head and leg.
On Sunday, his fellow national footballer, Selangor FC forward Faisal, was splashed with acid while on a family outing at a shopping centre in Petaling Jaya.
Faisal is receiving treatment at a private hospital in Shah Alam. – May 7, 2024