KUALA TERENGGANU: A beverage seller at Pantai Teluk Kalong, Kemaman, ran as fast as he could toward the beach when he heard there were two drowning children there.
Amir Mukmin Saupi, 29, from Kampung Tempurung, Chukasi, said the 3.30pm incident on Nov 26 almost took the lives of two children, who were playing in the water, aged seven and nine.
He said he was at the time tending his stall when he was informed about the incident about 50m away.
He said he dropped everything he was doing and dashed towards the beach, swimming for about five to ten minutes and pulling the children to safety.
"The children were hugging each other at the time, while I was trying my best to pull them to shore.
"Alhamdulillah, after ten minutes of such an effort I managed to bring the victim to shore where they were seen to by medical practitioners," he said when met during the Terengganu Fire and Rescue Department's annual gathering, assembly here earlier today.
Amir said he was facing big waves following the monsoon season, but he still managed to save both victims.
During the incident, many visitors were seen on the beach calling for help, probably because they were not good swimmers, he said.
"I am not that skilled in swimming, but it was sheer instinct and human instinct, and with what little skills I have, I mustered the courage to dive in and helped (the victims).
"Luckily at the time, the children were hugging one another, so it made it easier for me to save the both of them and bring them to shore," he said after receiving a certificate of appreciation and commendation from the Terengganu Fire and Rescue Department.
Another recipient of the certificate is a Form Four student Mohammad Zulfikal Asmadi from SM Kijal, from Kampung Penunjuk in Kijal, who saved another teen from drowning.
He said the incident took place on Dec 16 last year, where he used to hangout at a shed on Pantai Penunjuk when he was told of the drowning incident at the beach.
"I did not hesitate, I did not waste time, I immediately pushed a sampan that belonged to one of the villagers into the water, paddled as hard as I possibly could and managed to save a 13-year-old boy from drowning.
"I had to paddle about 100 metres out to the ocean to help save the victim when the waves were big because it is the monsoon season and its quite difficult for boats and crafts during such weather conditions," he said.
He said he was thankful that he was alert enough to take the sampan and paddle out to sea as he could have faced difficulties if he had chosen to swim the distance.
He said even though he had no experience, his mental and physical strength enabled him to react quickly in order to save the victim.
"Alhamdulillah, the incident has given me a valuable experience so that I remain calm when faced with a life-and-death situation, and one should always prioritise their own safety first," he said.