GEORGETOWN: The heroic actions of Corporal Mazlan Abdul Rahman who risked his life to rescue two people who fell off the Penang Bridge on Tuesday has earned the praises of the Defence Minister, the Malaysian Armed Forces and many people nationwide.
The soldier, who is attached to the Second Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment (2 RAMD) was commended by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin in his Facebook and X postings.
“Congratulations and thank you Corporal Mazlan Abdul Rahman for your brave and swift action in saving the lives of civilians believed to have fallen into the sea from Penang Bridge. This bravery can be an example for all, particularly for members of the Malaysian Armed Forces,“ the minister wrote in his postings.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Army, in a statement issued on Facebook today, praised the brave and swift actions of Mazlan that saved the lives of the two civilians.
Mazlan also provided CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) assistance to them once all were onboard a fishing boat that came to help.
In an interview with Harian Metro, Mazlan recounted that he had just finished duties at the Sungai Ara Army Camp and was heading home to Sungai Petani, Kedah on his motorcycle when he witnessed a small crowd on the road shoulder at Km 2.8 of Penang Bridge.
Realizing something was wrong, he got off his bike to find out and was told that a couple had fallen off the bridge.
Without hesitation, Mazlan jumped into the sea and rescued the man first before helping the woman despite strong sea currents and being stung by jelly fishes in the dark.
For around 20 minutes, Mazlan used all his strength and might to keep the man and woman afloat by clinging onto a concrete wall below a pillar of the bridge before all three were picked up by a passing fishing boat and later sent to the Penang hospital.
Mazlan suffered jelly fish stings on his legs and back and was discharged after treatment from the hospital at 5am today.
This is not the first time Mazlan, a father of two, had saved people from drowning. In his younger days, he saved his elder brother from drowning.
He has served in he Army for 14 years and is currently a physical education and sports trainer.