The 29-year-old former factory worker had gone to Stulang Laut near Johor Baru city centre at around 12.30am on December 18 to buy supper.

“I saw a large crowd gathered along the seaside near the Johor Baru duty-free zone area.

“People were shouting and screaming and I went to see what was happening.

“That's when I saw the head of someone in the sea,” he added.

Without thinking further, Muruga Dass jumped into the water to save the person.

He said the woman, a foreigner, was crying uncontrollably and saying she wanted to end her life.

“I tried talking to her but she kept telling me to leave her alone.

“As the water kept getting deeper, I tried to pull her to the shore but she kept hitting me.

“I could feel her hands and legs getting colder,” he recounted, adding that he finally managed to pull the woman to shore and handed her over to Customs personnel who were on duty in the area.

For his heroic act, Johor police chief, CP Dato’ Kamarul Zaman Mamat presented a letter of appreciation to Muruga Dass during their monthly assembly held at Johor police headquarters in Johor Bharu.

Read further on The Star’s article attached.