The Malaysian premier league club Selangor FC has canceled its participation in the opening game of the country’s elite league after a series of attacks on football players. “After careful consideration and extensive discussions with various parties, the club has reluctantly decided not to compete,” said the 2023 championship runner-up. The game against champion Johor DT (JDT) was scheduled for Friday.
But that doesn’t happen after several acts of violence against players. An acid attack on the Malaysian national team player Faisal Halim from Selangor, with a motive that is currently unclear, caused great consternation. The 26-year-old suffered severe acid burns and is expected to have to undergo several operations. His national team colleague Akhyar Rashid was also injured in a robbery last week.
In the latest incident on Tuesday, former Johor captain Safiq Rahim remained unhurt after he was threatened with a hammer by two attackers and had his car windscreen smashed while on his way home from a training session.
With the exception of the canceled opening game, all “Super League” games should take place as planned. Malaysian Football Association president Hamidin Mohamad Amin instructed players to take security precautions, including hiring bodyguards. “Something like this has never happened in the history of Malaysian football,” Amin said.
