Child heroes or child zeroes?

Since one Muhamad Firdaus Harris (who could not swim) jumped into a pool to save a four-year-old from drowning, they have reinstated the Hang Tuah award after 20 years for courageous bravery in children. Or to quote:

For 23 years [since 1960], many child heroes received the award, named after the Malay warrior known for his strength of character and the nobility of the causes he served. These were children who put themselves in harm’s way to save the lives of others.

I don't know about you, but opening up the papers and telling your young ones "Eh, look! If you risk your life to save a drowning adik, you also can win award one and can also meet the Queen!" [sic]. Sure, courage and valour shouldn't go unrewarded but by making a big deal out of it... quite a thoughtless message you're sending out there.

And to add comic relief to the whole issue - along comes 60 year old Mohamed Nor Omar, the first recipient of the award who's complaining about being a forgotten child hero. I like how he says:

...people had forgotten him and had not given him the proper respect as the country’s first child hero.

Thus yesterday a Chief Minister, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, paid him a long overdue visit, gave him 10,000 Ringgit from the state government and promised to give financial help to his youngest daughter who is only 15 and furthermore APOLOGISED for the lack of recognition in the past.

Huh??? What is there to apologise for? Is the state obliged to help every single child hero for the rest of their lives? How could I have missed out on this point while growing up? Why did they not teach us about this in Moral studies instead of inventing ridiculous situations of "What would you do if you ran over a farmer's cow (with your Kembara) in the middle of a kampung?" (CL's version includes angry villagers running towards you with pitchforks and parangs but whatever). Now they can include more realistic questions like "Why would you want to save a small child from drowning?" - because you can win the Hang Tuah award for an act of bravery [1 point for listing down appropriate moral nilai or value] and thus be supported by the state for the rest of your life which is rational and sayang kepada nyawa diri sendiri (love for one's own life) [2 points for 2 other nilais].

And what about everyday heroes? What about that fat girl who caught a thief by sitting on him? Or the little girl who ran back into a burning house to save her baby brother? Or the wonderful person who caught the 'ear squat' incident on camera phone and exposed the inhumane actions of the Royal Malaysian Police Force?

I think real heroes don't sit around complaining about a lack of recognition. Real heroes don't even need to put themselves in harms way thinking "Hey, I'm doing a noble deed!". Real heroes do what needs to be done, because its the right thing to do. And that's all.

Sounds like one of May's thought provoking questions:

When I make a decision to do the 'right thing', is it because I sincerely want to do the right thing for its own sake, or because I want to feel good about myself?

Is it?