WATCH: Fireman Awarded And Praised For Saving Woman From Suicide Attempt At Penang Bridge

By Lara Kramer  •  23 May 2022 in News

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A fireman who prevented a woman from leaping off the Penang bridge on Saturday (21 May) was awarded today as part of the 2022 World Firefighters Day commemoration.

Syahir Jamaludin, 31, expressed gratitude for the accolade and enthusiasm at the opportunity to improve the fire department’s reputation.

“Around 3 p.m. while I was returning to the island from Seberang Prai, I noticed a disturbance on the bridge, I proceeded to pull over to the side of the road. I witnessed a woman trying to jump from the bridge, and some members of the general public were having to persuade her not to,” he said.

Upon obtaining a special certificate of appreciation from housing and local government ministry secretary-general M Noor Azman Taib, he told reporters, “I merely put into practise what I had learned from the training I underwent.”

A representative for the State Fire and Rescue Department stated that the department received a call regarding the mishap at 3.35 p.m. on KM3.4 island bound.

“When a team of firemen arrived on the site, they observed the victim being rescued by an off-duty firefighter who happened to be nearby at the time,” he added in a statement.

He also mentioned that the 43-year-old victim had been turned over to the police for further investigation.

The operation was completed at 4.25 p.m.

The woman can be seen standing on the ledge of the bridge with some passers-by attempting to convince her not to plunge into the water in a clip that has gone viral on social media.

Suddenly, Syahir appears in the frame and grabs the woman from behind, with his motorbike helmet still on. He then proceeds to bring her back to safety with the help of a few witnesses.

Syahir has 12 years of experience as a firefighter and is currently assigned to the Jalan Perak fire and rescue station.

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Yesterday, the government paid tribute to the heroic acts of firemen throughout the nation at a jovial celebration in conjunction with International Firefighters Day, where housing and local government minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican thanked Syahir from the Jalan Perak fire and rescue station for his courage and resilience.

Additonally, Reezal Merican, a parliament member from Kepala Batas, said the Fire and Rescue Department was the “first” organisation to respond to assist in every scenario.

He added that firemen were also prepared to put their own concerns aside in order to ensure the safety of others.

“This is not a made-up or acted-out stage production. It’s a realistic situation, with worrisome instances that can strike anyone at any moment.”

“Fire, drowning, disappearance, and other life-threatening incidents are bound to happen at any time,” he said.

Netizens have also unanimously praised Syahir for his swift response to the roadside chaos.

Dr Premananda Murugesu, a neurosurgeon from Hospital Raja Permaisuri has also suggested for motivational messages and a direct access phone to be placed along the bridge, drawing inspiration from Korea’s Mapo Bridge, where multiple suicides take place on the regular.

To discourage possible jumpers, Samsung Life Insurance placed pictures, inscriptions, and more within the bridge’s length.

The railings were fitted with motion sensors that detected movement and lit up with short statements as well as photographs of happy families, among other things.

However, once the messages were found to be ineffective, Samsung began to remove the lights and slogans in 2015. All of their suicide prevention messages and lights were removed by October 9, 2019, and the bridge was instead outfitted with barrier protection for possible jumpers.

Nevertheless, many netizens are in agreement with him, and suggest that the idea is worth a shot.

Individuals who are agitated, disturbed, or experiencing emotional distress should seek help from professionals, through virtual platforms, or contact Befrienders at 03-7627 2929.