Malaysia footballer leaves intensive care after acid-attack: official

A Malaysian national team footballer who was the victim of an acid-attack has left intensive care following multiple surgeries, a football official said Tuesday.

Faisal Halim suffered burns on the neck, shoulder, hands and chest in Petaling Jaya district outside the capital Kuala Lumpur two weeks ago.

Nicknamed "Mickey", the 26-year-old plays on the right wing for Selangor Football Club and Malaysia.

"Today, Faisal has been moved to a normal ward from ICU," Shahril Mokhtar, deputy president of the Selangor Football Association, said in a video shared on social media platform X by local media.

Mokhtar said in the video, posted by Astro Arena, that the footballer was in "stable" condition.

The popular Malaysian footballer scored an equaliser against South Korea that was voted best goal of the 2023 Asian Cup.

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The acid attack came three days after another national team player, Akhyar Rashid, was injured in a robbery outside his home in the eastern state of Terengganu.

In a third incident last Tuesday, former Malaysia skipper Safiq Rahim escaped unharmed after he was threatened with a hammer and his car windscreen was smashed by two assailants.

The mystery assaults have shocked and angered the football-crazy nation.

Police are continuing investigations and the motive for the attacks has not yet been determined.

The country's season opener Charity Shield was cancelled last Friday after Selangor refused to take part over security concerns, but the league itself kicked off on Saturday.