Youth leaders want 'hooliganism' against athletes to stop

Six opposition and government lawmakers have urged authorities to take proactive steps to prevent “hooliganism” against athletes.

This comes after an acid attack on Harimau Malaya and Selangor FC winger Muhammad Faisal Abdul Halim last month.

"Violence in sports must stop. Proactive steps should be taken by all parties, especially the Malaysian Football Association, to deal with the culture of 'hooliganism' from continuing to infect and damage the national football industry,” they said in a joint statement.

The six lawmakers are Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh, Amanah Youth chief Mohd Hasbie Muda, PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden, DAP’s Daniel Gooi Zi Sen and PKR’s Mohd Najwan Halimi.

Faisal (above), who underwent four surgeries for his injuries, held a press conference on Thursday, during which several scars on his left arm and marks on his head could be seen.

He also advised against speculations on the May 5 incident outside a shopping complex in Petaling Jaya, one of several attacks against national footballers.

In the group’s statement, the six leaders called the incident a dark spot in national sports, especially the football industry.

Those in law enforcement must deal with the issue strictly to prevent reoccurrence, the group stressed.

“We sincerely hope that the authorities will act decisively and ensure that a comprehensive and transparent investigation is carried out against incidents of violence involving national sports athletes.

"Incidents like this should not be taken lightly and need to be dealt with through strict law enforcement because they have the potential to happen again in the future,” they added.

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