JDT beefing up security after player ambushed

PETALING JAYA: Former national captain Safiq Rahim became the third footballer to come under attack in just a week when two men broke the rear windscreen of his car in Johor Baru on Tuesday night.

The Johor Darul Ta’zim player, however, escaped unhurt.

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The Super League champions have now decided to beef up security for their players, with marshals being hired to protect the players during training.

The 36-year-old revealed the incident on his social media account by posting a police report.

“I did not expect to be attacked near the JDT training centre. It looks like we have to be really careful,” said Safiq, who posted a photo of his smashed car and police report on his Instagram account late on Tuesday night.

The incident happened when he went to collect some items from the training centre and return to his residence in Johor Baru.

As he was heading towards Pantai Lido, two men on a motorcycle used a hammer to break his rear windscreen.

Shocked, he stopped his car. The two men then came towards him but the player was able to reverse his car. The attackers left the scene.

The club’s chief executive officer Alistair Edwards said the incident, “together with the recent attacks on (Terengganu’s) Akhyar Rashid and (Selangor’s) Faisal Halim, has no place in football”.

“Due to these recent cases, JDT have boosted our players’ security as a precautionary measure.”