KUALA LUMPUR – The recent tragic incident involving Faisal Halim, who suffered severe injuries from an acid attack, has garnered widespread attention with international footballers expressing their sympathy.
Faisal, a prominent winger for Selangor FC, became the victim of a targeted sulphuric acid assault on May 5 – drawing the compassion of Alejandro Garnacho and Andre Onana, winger and goalkeeper of the English Premier League club Manchester United.
In an interview with a private television channel, they offered words of encouragement and solidarity, stating: “We feel you, we are with you, and we know it is a tough situation for your family.
“We just want to wish you all the best and stay strong, on behalf of my teammates. Keep fighting, brother.”
Having travelled abroad for training, Faisal’s journey in football has been marked by remarkable experiences.
He even had the opportunity to train at Manchester United under the “Mencari Ramli” programme by Telekom Malaysia when he was just 12 years old.
Currently undergoing treatment for fourth-degree burns at a private hospital in Shah Alam, Faisal is in the phase of reconstructive treatment called “skin allograft”, involving the transplant of a skin patch flown in from Belgium.
Fourth-degree burns, as explained by the Health Ministry’s MyHealth portal, extend through the entire thickness of the skin, reaching the muscle and bone layers and often resulting in nerve damage and complete loss of sensation.
Selangor FC’s head of sports medicine Dr Muhammad Hazwan Khair emphasised the importance of monitoring Faisal’s body reaction to the donated skin patch.
Skin allograft, sourced from a human cadaver donor, poses the risk of graft rejection.
Despite facing multiple surgeries, Faisal, who underwent a third operation yesterday afternoon, has shown signs of progress and expressed his eagerness to return home.
However, the 26-year-old player remains under close observation and cannot receive visitors at this time.
Further operations will be performed as deemed necessary by specialist doctors. – May 11, 2024