THERE is a pattern in the attacks against three national football players in the past week, said Bukit Aman CID director Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain.

Shuhaily also said that the police had noticed the attacks took place at two-day intervals.

“Our investigations also showed that the players involved were tailed prior to the attacks.

“The perpetrators also worked in pairs in all the attacks,” he was reported as saying today, adding that the police believe the attackers had made preparations beforehand.

“Akhyar Rashid was the first victim on Thursday (May 2) night followed by the Faisal Halim case which occurred on Sunday (May 5) and the third case involved Safiq Rahim which occurred in Johor Baru on (Tuesday, May 7),” he said.

Shuhaily however refused to confirm if these cases were all connected, saying that it was too early to make that assumption.

“We have made two arrests so far in connection with the Faisal Halim case.

“One suspect has already been released while the other suspect is still under remand.

“The investigations are ongoing and we have yet to establish if the suspect in custody is involved in this case,” he said.

On the suspect under remand, Shuhaily said he had seven prior offences on his record.

“Our checks revealed the suspect is self-employed and has a record for misuse of network facilities, voluntarily causing hurt using a dangerous weapon, gang robbery, impersonating a civil servant, criminal intimidation and extortion,” he said.

He also said that the investigations in all three cases will be undertaken by the Bukit Aman CID Special Investigation Unit.

“The three cases occurred in three different states – Terengganu, Selangor and Johor.

“Seeing that the cases all occurred in (different) states, we decided that Bukit Aman should coordinate the probes,” he said.

Shuhaily said the police were also looking into the possibility that a poison pen letter concerning the Football Association Of Malaysia (FAM) last month could be connected to these cases.

It was reported that the poison pen letter criticised FAM’s leadership and management, as well as the recent unsatisfactory performances of the national senior and under-23 squads.

Meanwhile Bernama reported Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail as denying allegations that FAM senior management is being targeted following the recent attacks on Malaysian footballers.

“No (they are not being targeted),” he told reporters after attending the Prime Minister’s Department’s Madani Aidilfitri Open House here on Wednesday.

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 Akhyar Abdul Rashid, who was injured during a mugging near his home in Kuala Terengganu on Thursday (May 2).

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.

More surgeries for Faisal

In another development, Harimau Malaya and Selangor FC (SFC) player Faisal is showing signs of recovery as he is now able to eat on his own and is in high spirits, said SFC director Shahril Mokhtar.

Shahril, who is also the deputy president of the Selangor Football Association (FAS), said the player was enthusiastic and had started thinking about football despite battling with pain.

“I was informed that Faisal is now able to eat, but he has to stick to a soft diet. He also seems eager to do light exercises.

“This is very encouraging, but it should be noted that this is only the second surgery, and I understand there will be third and fourth surgeries.

“Everything (treatment) is done in stages, but the progress is very positive,” said Shahril when met at the hospital grounds, reports New Straits Times.

Shahril said the next surgery would take place later this week. – May 8, 2024.