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Soldier who saved distressed teens gets promoted for bravery

KUALA LUMPUR: The soldier who jumped into a lake to rescue four distressed teenagers on a capsizing boat in Puncak Alam was promoted today to staff sergeant by army chief General Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan.

Hafizuddeain said Staff Sergeant Mohd Nor Khalid, from the 41st Royal Artillery Regiment (Ceremonial) of Sungai Buloh camp, had earned the recognition due to his bravery in saving civilian lives during an emergency.

"He took significant risks, considering the situation at that time. Alhamdulillah, all the victims were successfully rescued, which required remarkable courage and spontaneous action.

"His attitude and actions should serve as an example for every member of the army and inspire all Malaysians," said Hafizuddeain.

Looking back at his deed, Nor said he felt compelled to save the victims at the lake, which served as a retention pond in Taman Lautan Samudera, near Shah Alam, last Sunday.

He learned that the teens were struggling in the water for almost 45 minutes after their boat sprang a leak, and they were becoming weak.

"At that moment, I thought about their condition, having been in the lake for so long without the rescue team arriving.

"I volunteered to dive in and save them, despite warnings from onlookers about the danger, as I feared something worse might happen to the victims.

"With trust in Allah, I mustered the courage to save them because the lives of those teenagers were my priority. I also thought of my own children, and I am grateful that God eased my efforts to rescue them," he said after his promotion ceremony.

Recounting the situation after swimming more than 45 metres to the victims, he said he had to rescue one victim at a time.

He learned that none of them could swim and that they were paralysed with fear. The teenagers' boat eventually sank into the lake.

"When I tried to bring the first victim to shore, he clung tightly to my back. Thankfully, I still had the strength to save him.

"I had to find the nearest shore, approximately 25 metres away, to rescue each victim, as the other shores were around 45 to 35 metres away," he said.

Having served nearly 20 years in the army and due to retire next year, Nor expressed gratitude to God for enabling him to save all four victims, despite feeling exhausted after rescuing the first two.

"It took me about 15 minutes to bring all the victims from the boat to the shore.

"When I brought the last victim to safety, my daughter, who had been anxious from the moment I jumped into the lake, immediately said, 'Alhamdulillah, Papa is safe', as she was afraid something might happen to me," he said.

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