The Story of the Turban That Saved a Life at Sungai Kerian
On January 22, 1965, a fascinating event worth sharing today on orangperak.com, and one that should be remembered for all time, occurred when a police constable successfully saved a young boy from drowning in Sungai Kerian, Parit Buntar.
There are many lessons and insights to be gained from this story, as it relates to the culture and community of a multi-ethnic society that forms the strong unity of our nation. The police constable in question was named Sohan Singh, who was 21 years old at the time. As fate would have it, while he was walking along the banks of Sungai Kerian that day, he suddenly heard someone screaming for help. Upon looking, he saw a young boy struggling in the waters of Sungai Kerian, crying for help as he was nearly drowning.
Constable Sohan Singh immediately unwound the turban from his head and threw it toward the drowning boy. Who would have thought that a turban, measuring approximately 6 meters in length, could become such an important and useful tool in a life-saving emergency? Without hesitation, Constable Sohan Singh shouted for the boy to hold onto the end of the turban tightly. Without wasting any time, Constable Sohan Singh began to pull the drowning boy quickly and carefully toward the riverbank. Finally, the boy who had been near death was successfully rescued, and both of them could breathe a sigh of relief. It is possible that this was the first recorded incident of a human life being saved using a turban.
Surprisingly, the boy who nearly drowned, named Abdul Malek Bin Awang, was said to have been fishing on the riverbank when a large fish pulled on his hook, dragging him into the river with just a few tugs. Regardless of the actual cause, Abdul Malek was grateful for a second chance at life. Constable Sohan Singh received a letter of commendation from the OCPD in 1965 for successfully saving the life of the young boy in Sungai Kerian, Parit Buntar, on January 23, 1965. His actions deserve recognition for being quick and creative, successfully saving the life of a Malay boy. Constable Sohan Singh eventually retired as an ASP-ranked officer and is said to have settled in Taiping after his retirement. "Our turban is not just a piece of cloth that symbolizes our honor; it is also capable of saving lives," said Gurmeet Singh.
