KUALA LUMPUR: "My only thought was their lives hanging in the balance," says Staff Sergeant Mohd Nor Khalid as he recalled the moment he jumped into a lake in Puncak Alam to save four teenagers last Sunday (Nov 24).
In the incident, six teenagers almost drowned when their rowboat toppled over. Two of them managed to swim to shore while four others clung to the rowboat before Mohd Nor saved them.
"I needed to do so as the victims had been in the water for almost 45 minutes, and it could only be more dangerous for them.
"At that time, I volunteered to jump into the lake to save the four boys despite many bystanders advising me not to do so as it might endanger me too.
"I hardened my resolve to save them as the only thought in my head was that their lives were in jeopardy," he said after the rank awarding ceremony by the Army Chief at Wisma Pertahanan on Friday (Nov 29).
Mohd Nor is attached to the 41 Squad of the Royal Artillery Regiment Battery (ceremony) at Kem Sungai Buloh. He had served in the Army for 20 years and will retire next year,
Earlier, Army Chief General Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan promoted the 40-year-old army personnel to Staff Sergeant after he became a hero by saving four teenage boys from drowning in the lake in Puncak Alam.
"It is an action that portrays the spirit of the heroism of an Army personnel.
"He saved lives despite the risk to his own life.
"He is a shining example to all Army personnel, and I hope he can be an inspiration to all Malaysians," said General Muhammad Hafizuddeain.
