PETALING JAYA: The year was 2019. And a 21-year-old footballer was dreaming of a good showing at the SEA Games in the Philippines.
His name? Faisal Halim.
Pulling off his boots and socks, soaked in sweat, he grinned: “Boleh bang, tapi pendek boleh? Sebab penat.” (Can, brother, but can we make it short? I’m tired).
What was meant to be a two-minute chat stretched to six, and we laughed about it afterwards. That is Faisal. Good-looking, plucky, affable, and always available.
On May 5, 2024, tragedy struck – and what happened did not just leave him gutted, it left his family, his wife and child and, in fact, the whole country, in shock.
Faisal was the victim of a horrific acid attack outside a shopping mall in Damansara.
He was rushed to hospital in Shah Alam, where doctors confirmed severe burns and the need for multiple surgeries.
The horrific incident was splashed on the front page of The Star, with more stories in the sports pages.
The media group also carried updates online every day. The country held its breath for him.
I was 28 at that first interview where we laughed together.
Although much older now, watching Faisal rebuild his career and his life after that cruel attack has been the hardest story my colleagues and I have had to tell.
But rebuild he did. Despite the scars, and the many surgeries, he has stayed strong and came back to the national team while contributing goals and assists across all competitions for Selangor.
That is Faisal, too. Passionate, determined and hungry to succeed.
Many had doubted him as a 21-year-old. But the 1.58m tall player proved them wrong, carving out a reputation with Pahang (2016-2020) and Terengganu (2021-2022) before a big-money move to Selangor in 2023.
His stock rose further with a stunning solo goal for Harimau Malaya against South Korea at the 2023 Asian Cup.
After the acid attack, the doubts all came pouring back.
Would he ever be the same again, physically or mentally?
Selangor withdrew from that season’s Charity Shield against Johor Darul Ta’zim over safety concerns.
As The Star reporter and a friend, I made numerous calls check on him.
Many journalists also feared that we, as his friends, would be targeted.
I found myself often checking my surroundings, aware that I was writing stories questioning football governance and the competitiveness of the league.
But Faisal had no fears.
“Avi, he is not giving up. He actually wants to leave the hospital immediately and train. That is how strong his willpower is,” Selangor FA deputy president Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar texted me.
Faisal’s first public appearance after the attack was on June 13, 2024. When he appeared, reporters were left in tears.
I watched the press conference from home and my hands were shaking when the cameras flashed at him.
“I always smile when I meet people,” he said.
“After this, I might need to be more guarded, for my own good, because I’ve been too kind to everyone.”
Hearing that from a man known for his smile was hard to take.
Another The Star reporter S. Saktesh was there and he recalls a room filled with unwanted suspense.
“Before all the cameras flashed, there was a moment of silence where everyone just wanted to see him and know that he was there with us, alive and well,” Saktesh said.
“I think no one in that press conference left with a dry eye.
“It was definitely very emotional for everyone there. When he cried, we all did as well.
“But to see him show us that it’s not over and that he was not giving up made it one of the most memorable press conferences. Unwanted, but deeply memorable.”
But what is important is that he is back.
Faisal was named in Selangor’s FA Cup semi-final squad against Terengganu on Aug 3, 2024, before making his competitive return as a substitute against Kelantan on Aug 10, 2024, roughly three months after the attack.
Months later, he marked his comeback in style with a hattrick in a 7-0 win over the same opponents.
Mickey is now 28 and on the second anniversary of the attack, he admitted he isn’t yet where he wants to be.
“Over the past two years, I’ve learned to accept what happened and move on,” he said.
“My passion hasn’t changed. Even if my appearance is different, my desire to be the best is still there.
“I work hard every day.”
Setbacks, however painful, don’t have to define an athlete’s ceiling.
What matters is the response, the discipline to rebuild and the courage to compete again at the top.
I last saw him in March and asked a simple question in Malay.
“Sihat?” (Are you well?). He smiled and answered: “Saya sihat dan abang okay?” (I am well and are you well, brother?).
I patted his back and told him: “Stay like this and let the world know who you are with that smile.”
Faisal is back.
But there is one more story that we at The Star would love to tell and that is of the attackers – who are still roaming free, to be arrested and jailed.
And that should bring more smiles to Faisal and his fans.
