PETALING JAYA – For the safety of its players and staff, Selangor FC have decided not to participate in the May 10 Charity Shield football game against Johor Darul Ta’zim at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri.
“After much deliberation and detailed discussions with various parties, following a series of criminal incidents and recent threats involving several players and team officials within just 72 hours, the club has reluctantly decided to not participate in the 2024 Charity Cup match,” the football club said on its official social media pages, responding to the Malaysian Football League’s decision to proceed with the match.
“Given the uncertainties surrounding the club at present, Selangor FC would like to emphasise that the safety of the team is of utmost importance and we take all forms of violence and threats seriously.
“We will not compromise on matters related to the safety of the team. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted.”
The decision was taken after the football club’s winger Faisal Halim, also known as Mickey, was the target of an acid attack at a shopping mall in Kota Damansara in Petaling Jaya on May 5 and is in hospital for treatment.
In other recent attacks, national footballer Akhyar Rashid was injured in a robbery outside his home in the eastern state of Terengganu on May 2, while Johor Darul Ta’zim midfielder Safiq Rahim was threatened with a hammer and his car windscreen smashed by two assailants on May 7 following a training session. He was not injured in the attack.
Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has expressed his full support for Selangor FC’s decision not to participate in the match.
In a statement issued on May 9 by Istana Alam Shah, Sultan Sharafuddin said that he is disappointed with the Malaysian Football League’s decision to proceed with the Charity Shield game.
Istana Alam Shah said that as the patron of Selangor FC, Sultan Sharafuddin believes that it is right for the team to not join the tournament following several life-threatening incidents involving players and officials.
“His Majesty has proclaimed that the priority now is the life and safety of players and not the winning of trophies,” said Istana Alam Shah.
It added that Sultan Sharafuddin said that aside from the issue of safety, the morale of the players is still affected following the acid attack on Mr Faisal.
“His Majesty supports the eradication of violence in sports in any form and wants all parties to understand that the seriousness of the incident involving a player’s life is unprecedented, considering that it is so close to the date of the match,” said Istana Alam Shah.
“His Majesty also states that Selangor FC is ready to face any follow-up action from the decision to not participate in the match,” it added.
Johor Darul Ta’zim is owned by Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Ibrahim.
In a cryptic post on his Instagram on May 9, Tunku Ismail wrote: “In life, the show must go on.”
The brief message was accompanied by hashtags #thegameisrigged #whatcanyoudo. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK, AFP
