PETALING JAYA: The lack of first aid education remains a hindrance for members of the public to help in urgent situations.
Founder of Malaysia International Search and Rescue and the Code Red Survival Academy, K. Balasubramaniam, better known as Captain Bala, said that while the Good Samaritan law may mitigate legal repercussions, it is also important to teach Malaysians how to perform emergency procedures.
“We must first ensure that Malaysians are educated on how to perform CPR to save the lives of loved ones and others,” he said.
Executive manager of St John Ambulance of Malaysia, Kevin Peter, said that while the Good Samaritan law is important to protect civilians from legal action, education in basic life-saving procedures remains a top priority.
“The Good Samaritan law will be a protective measure for those who offer assistance. When someone performs CPR on an injured person and breaks their ribs in the process, that person could be taken to court. A formal education and certification could save the lives of countless people around you,” said Peter.
He reiterated the importance of having available AEDs and first aid kits in public areas.
“These are crucial devices that are often unavailable in parks, shopping malls and public spaces,” he said.
Meanwhile, some Malaysians share their experiences of emergency situations.
A man who only wished to be known as Jason, 58, recounted his experience of helping a motorcyclist who was hit by a car in SS2 here.
“Another person and I rushed to help him, and saw that he had a shinbone fracture. We drove him to a nearby hospital,” said Jason.
An elderly woman named Sally, 83, said that when she fell down on the roadside in George Town, Penang, she was helped by two young men.
She later found out that she had fractured her hip.
“Luckily two men rushed to lift me up and get me into the car, where I was then taken to the hospital,” she shared.
