KUALA LUMPUR: The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, and the Raja Muda Selangor, Tengku Amir Shah, have condemned in the strongest terms, the acid attack on national footballer Faisal Halim.
In a statement issued by Istana Alam Shah this evening, Sultan Sharafuddin, who is also the patron of Selangor FC, and Tengku Amir Shah, described the attack, which took place at a shopping mall in Kota Damansara, as "immoral".
The Selangor Sultan and Tengku Amir also want the police to investigate the matter, determine the reason behind the attack, and arrest the perpetrators.
"The Sultan of Selangor expressed his concern following the attack on the Selangor FC and national football player, Faisal Halim, today.
"His Royal Highness also urges anyone with information on the incident to come forward and cooperate with the police.
"The Sultan of Selangor takes this incident seriously and wants the investigation to also look into the possibility of the involvement of groups with malicious intent, such as football hooligans, or elements of hooliganism," the statement said.
The statement also said the Sultan of Selangor is disappointed, and considers such an incident, "extreme".
"His Royal Highness is concerned that if incidents like these are not immediately dealt with, they will escalate and lead to worse things in the future."
Police today confirmed that Faisal was splashed with a liquid, believed to be acid, in the incident.
Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan urged anyone with information on the case to contact the Petaling Jaya district police operations room at 03-7966 2222.
Selangor Youth, Sports and Entrepreneurship committee chairman Najwan Halimi said the national winger, currently being treated at a private hospital in Petaling Jaya, is in stable condition.
"His condition is stable, but he has suffered second-degree burns to several parts of his body, including around the neck, shoulders, arms, and chest," Najwan said in a statement.