KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor winger Faisal Halim is determined to fulfil his promise to former national coach Kim Pan Gon to return stronger as a footballer following the acid attack in May.
Pan Gon visited Faisal at a hospital in Shah Alam and reminded the player not to give up.
However, before Faisal could return to football, Pan Gon left Malaysia to join Korean league side Ulsan HD.
Although Faisal was listed as a substitute in Saturday's FA Cup semi-final second leg against Terengganu, which Selangor won 6-4 on aggregate, he did not get playing time.
Undeterred, the 26-year-old remains motivated by Pan Gon's words and aims for a strong comeback.
"I felt sad when Pan Gon left. I worked with him and knew what he wanted. He changed the players and the national team's character. His departure deeply saddens me," Faisal said.
"He visited me in hospital, sat silently beside me, and cried for about five minutes. It was incredibly touching. He wasn't Malaysian, but he was sincere in his responsibilities, and I was heartbroken when he left," he added.
Faisal recalled messaging Pan Gon, reminding him of his encouragement not to give up and to return to play for Selangor and the national team.
"Pan Gon said 'we don't know what the future holds, but all we can do is our best'. I'll hold on to those words and want to come back as an extraordinary player because I want to prove that I can't be brought down by anything," Faisal said in a video interview with the club.
Three months after the attack, no arrests have been made, and Faisal continues to be accompanied by bodyguards due to ongoing security concerns.
Reflecting on his recovery process, Faisal described it as gruelling and challenging.
"Since day one until now, the recovery has been tough and stressful. But as a professional, I want to play, so I need to go through it," Faisal added