KUALA LUMPUR – Selangor FC’s stalwart player, Faisal Halim, is expected to begin light training with the club within the next two weeks.
On May 5, the 26-year-old winger was attacked while with his family at a Petaling Jaya shopping centre.
Faisal suffered fourth-degree burns on several parts of his body, necessitating intensive care.
Following multiple surgeries and a skin transplant using skin imported from Belgium at a hospital in Shah Alam, Faisal was stabilised and subsequently discharged.
He is currently in the early stages of recovery, undergoing sports rehabilitation.
However, there were recent reports citing Faisal’s father, Abdul Halim Saad, saying that the Penang-born player is 95% ready to get back on the pitch after successfully completing several sessions of physiotherapy.
Selangor FC chief executive officer Johan Kamal Hamidon said that things have been looking positive with Faisal’s physique since he made his public appearance on June 13.
“Since his appearance at the press conference, his wound has healed, and he looks better than before as he has gotten back into shape. This is positive news for the club and the country.
“We may see him on the pitch doing light training with his teammates in two or three weeks, but we can’t be sure when he will be ready for competitive football.
“Though he’s getting into shape, his fitness is currently low as he has never had a pre-season and hasn’t had any physical activity for more than two months.
“Even though we know he is a strong person, we don’t want to rush his comeback as we don’t want to risk exposing him to further injuries. We hope that through light training, he can slowly build his fitness over time,” said Johan during his visit with Crown Prince of Selangor, Tengku Amir Shah, at the 3K Sports Complex in Subang Jaya this morning.
Meanwhile, Johan also said that the club has yet to receive any further updates from the police regarding the investigation into the acid attack on Faisal.
“We have not received any updates on the progress of the investigation from the police.
“I am sure the police are still investigating and calling a few more witnesses to the incident, but we have not received any progress on the results of the investigation,” Johan added.
On May 19, police released a photofit of a suspect, but no arrests have been made.
Faisal joined the Red Giants from Terengganu FC last year and scored 12 goals in 28 appearances across all competitions last season.
Selangor currently rank second in the Super League table with nine points from four games, having played only three matches after withdrawing from the Charity Shield, resulting in a walkover win and three points for Johor Darul Ta’zim. – June 30, 2024