The medal was presented by Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rina  Harun during a virtual celebration of National Children’s Day.

A video on the celebration, themed ‘Sustainable Earth: Protection for Children’, was shared via the Social Welfare Department Facebook page today.

According to media reports, Nuraina Erieka, who had managed to save herself went back into her burning house to bring out her brother, aged 15 months, at Taman Anggerik Desa flat, Jalan Beserah, Kuantan, Pahang last month.

The Hang Tuah Medal is an award given by the government to children under 18 who show extraordinary courage in helping to save human lives and property as well as for other courageous actions during emergencies and disasters.

In Melaka, the award was bestowed on 15-year-old Muhammad Fakhrul Fithri Razali from Kampung Sungai Siput, Alor Gajah, for taking the responsibility of looking after his bedridden adopted mother, Azizah Bujang, 53, who had suffered from a stroke.

He was also taking care of the woman’s sister, Norlia (in her 60s) who had lost both legs to diabetes.

Although they were not blood-related, the teenager had been managing the needs of the two women since his father’s death three years ago, such as preparing their food, changing diapers and ensuring that they were receiving proper treatment.

“I did not go to school for half a year when I was in Form One to take care of them, fortunately now there is an assistant to help manage them when I am not home,” he told reporters after receiving the Hang Tuah Award at the state-level Children’s Day celebration at Tun Abdul Aziz boys’ home at Durian Daun today.