No to violence: Saifuddin denies FAM top management being targeted

PUTRAJAYA: Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has denied allegations that the Football Association of Malaysia’s (FAM) senior management is being targeted following recent attacks on Malaysian footballers.

“No (they are not being targeted). I just wanted to meet Faisal (Halim, the national player who was the victim of an acid attack),” he told reporters briefly after attending the Prime Minister’s Department’s Madani Aidilfitri Open House here on Wednesday (May 8).

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He also did not elaborate on when he would meet Faisal, but had previously conveyed his sympathies over Sunday’s (May 5) acid attack on the Selangor FC footballer in a Facebook post.

“To Faisal Halim’s family, may you all remain strong in light of this challenge. I’m convinced the police have conducted a detailed investigation into this incident. Let’s put our wholehearted trust in the police,” he posted.

ALSO READ: No to violence: Selangor football club starts ‘Stand With Faisal Halim’ solidarity campaign

Claims that several FAM officials would be the next targets after several national footballers were attacked recently were uploaded on Instagram, but the post did not mention the motive.

Three local footballers have been victims of recent attacks, beginning with Muhammad Akhyar Abdul Rashid, who was injured during a mugging near his home in Kuala Terengganu on Thursday (May 2).

ALSO READ: JDT midfielder Safiq latest footballer to be attacked

This was followed by Faisal being splashed with acid at a shopping mall in Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya.

On Tuesday (May 7) night, Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) player Safiq Rahim was attacked by two men on a motorcycle who smashed his car’s rear windscreen with a hammer in Johor Baru. – BK