PETALING JAYA, May 6 — The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) will take additional security measures to ensure the safety of players in the national team (Harimau Malaya) during centralised training and representing the country.
FAM president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin said the additional security measures would include the safety of players when attending centralised training, during match day and when they are overseas on official duty.
The measures taken is to ensure safety of players remain at the optimum level, especially after the recent attack by unknown assailants on two national players, namely Muhammad Akhyar Abdul Rashid and Mohamad Faisal Abdul Halim.
“We have notified the police officer responsible for security during national team assignment to be alert of players’ movement. Does not matter whether here or overseas, safety and security of players must be priority.
“The same security and safety procedures will have to be adhered during centralised training camp. We do have a police officer who looks after the safety and security of the players in the team. Maybe we need to add on,” he said during a special interview with Bernama at Wisma FAM, Kelana Jaya, here today.
Hamidin urged everyone to remain calm and not speculate by linking the two attacks involving Muhammad Akhyar and Mohamad Faisal to bookies or syndicates involved in football betting.
“I am not certain if the attacks were planned or otherwise. The matter is beyond my knowledge. I am concerned with what has happened,” said the 58-year-old Hamidin who is also a Fifa Council member.
Meanwhile, Hamidin did not rule out the possibility that Mohamad Faisal or better known as Mickey would miss the remaining two Group D matches in the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asia Cup Qualifiers against Kyrgyzstan and Taiwan next month.
“Based on my visit and info received yesterday, he (Mohamad Faisal) may require at least two to three months to recover fully,” he said.
Yesterday, the local football fraternity was shocked by news that Selangor FC player Mohamad Faisal was a victim of an acid attack at a shopping mall in the Klang Valley and believed to have suffered burns on the neck, shoulder, hands and chest.
It was the second incident involving a national player after Muhammad Akhyar who has since joined Terengganu FC on loan from Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) was attacked and robbed by two assailants on Thursday.
The 25-year-old player suffered injuries to his head that needed stitches after he was hit with a blunt object by the assailants who managed to escape.
Mohamad Faisal and Muhammad Akhyar have been instrumental in Harimau Malaya’s build up to the Qualifiers scheduled at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil next month. — Bernama
