KUALA LUMPUR - "What does this have to do with me?" This was the question posed by Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) football club owner Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sultan Ibrahim in response to allegations linking him to the acid attack on Harimau Malay winger Faisal Halim.
In a podcast with JDT supporters, Tunku Ismail, who is also the Crown Prince of Johor, vehemently denied being the mastermind behind the incident.
He clarified that he has no issues with the national winger and stressed that Faisal is a good and friendly individual.
"First and foremost, Faisal is a good kid. I don't know his personal life, but whatever happened to him must be condemned.
"But what does this have to do with me? Some people even say I am the mastermind behind the incident.
"We played against Selangor last year and won 4-0, 4-0, 2-0, and Faisal Halim played.
"So Faisal Halim is not a threat to me. He is a good player, a national player, and a friendly person. But we don't know his personal life or what's behind the attack," Tunku Ismail stressed.
He made these remarks during a live podcast session at the Johor Youth Meet-up Programme at the Educity Sports Complex in Johor Bahru on Sunday.
It was reported that Faisal was attacked with acid at a shopping centre in Damansara, Petaling Jaya, resulting in injuries to his body and hands.
In a related development, Tunku Ismail also noted that Faisal is just a football player and not a criminal who should be targeted.
"If I wanted to finish someone, I have bigger targets in this country.
"Those who take the people's money... those who trouble the people.
"These are the real criminals who should be eliminated, not football players. People want to talk about me even in matters like this. It's like they're throwing acid at soft targets.
"Recently, I received news that Selangor's team bus was attacked in Jakarta; is that my fault too? Not everything is my fault. Faisal is a good person; he is not a threat to us," Tunku Ismail reiterated. - AWANI