Salman and Ma'soumah swim from Pangkor to Lumut

Salman Ali Shariati Abdul Halim, 8 years old and his sister Zahra Ma'soumah (15) achieved something extraordinary. The brother and sister swam from Pangkor to Lumut and got themselves a place in history.

Salman and Ma'soumah live in Seri Manjung, not far from the sea. Ma'soumah was born in Taiping but her brother Salman was born in Sitiawan. The two started swimming early in their life. It was encouraged by their parents. Father Abdul Halim Abdul Manaf is also very active, he runs every Sunday 8-10 km.

At the age of 8 Salman ran the 21 km Ipoh International Run in 2 hours and 48 minutes! Salman runs since he was 4 years old. But he had set his mind on swimming even younger. In 2004 he crossed the Dinding Stratits, 1 kilometer long so for Salman this time wasn't the first sea experience.

The idea of swimming from Pangkor to Lumut developed. But nothing comes easy. Although Salman and Ma'soumah love swimming they had to spend many hours of training in the Ipoh swimming pool. Swimming from Pangkor to Lumut is swimming in the open sea. After all, Pangkor is laid out in the Straits of Malacca. But it wasn't just the open sea the two adventures had to face.

First the two siblings had to get used to the distance of 8.9 km. This was a matter of training. "In the trainings they were able to swim this distance in around 4 hours", father Abdul Halim Abdul Manaf said. One thing you can not really simulate in a swimming pool are the weather conditions (though both had been training in sea water too). And these conditions were not too good. It was a bit raining and there was quite a bit of wind from the opposite direction. Instead of 7.30 the two left Pangkor at 8.20 am.

Salman and Ma'soumah were well equiped with swim suits and masks. The water temparature in this part of the world is around 30 degrees Celcius but being in the water for some hours will cool off the body.

The two were followed by a boat from the Royal Malaysian Navy with First Warrant Officer Mohd Arif Omar and Staff Sergeant Jamaluddin Idris on board. The two men had trained Salman and Mansourah for this event. Also on board was father Abdul Halim Abdul Manaf who was video-taping the whole event.

Salman and Mansourah had serious problems on their way. The wind and the current didn't make it easier. After more then an hour they passed the 4 km mark but the hard part was still to come. At some point Salman was almost willing to give up. Their trainers and father encouraged them to continue.

The second part of the journey went into the Dindingh river arm. The current was fierce. The two made it. They became the youngest to swim to cross from Pangkor to Lumut without any aid.

Salman and Mansourah in full action in the Straits of Malacca

Father Abdul Halim Abdul Manaf was surprised to see his children swim so well and quick In the pool they had not swim the distance under 4 hours while in these fierce circumstances the journey had taken them 3 hours and 40 minutes.

The adventure was not unnoticed. State Information, Youth, Sports, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Zaim Abu Hassan presented RM10,000 each to the children, who immediately donated the money to the Victims of Child Abuse Fund.State Information, Youth, Sports, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Zaim Abu Hassan presented RM10,000 each to the children, who immediately donated the money to the Victims of Child Abuse Fund.

Does the story end here? Mansourah wants to concentrate on her studies though she will not give up swimming. She hopes to get her lifeguard license next year and work part-time as a women’s swimming coach. Her mother, Haniza Mohamed, 40, said she will learn to swim as soon as her daighter is a swimming coach.

For Salman this adventure seems only the start of bigger things to come. His ambition is to be the first Malaysian to cross the Straits of Malacca when he turns 12. And impossible as it might seem to be, I believe Salman will be able to cross the Straits. After all, who would believe that an 8 years old boy could swim Pangkor-Lumut? Nothing is impossible and Salman and Mansourah showed everybody that were there's a will, there's a way. Congratulations!

More photos are here available

All pictures on this page are kindly presented by the family of Salman and Ma'soumah

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