KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8 — A 50-year-old Johorean has been hailed a hero after he jumped into a swollen monsoon drain to save a woman being swept away by the strong current along with her car.

Choo Ngiam Choong said he did not hesitate to leap over the guardrail in an attempt to save the stranger.

"I did not think twice and immediately jumped in to save the woman after seeing her being swept away by the strong current,” Choo was quoted by New Straits Times as saying.

A video of Choo’s rescue efforts, which has since gone viral on social media, showed him leaping into the drain with the strong current near Jalan Bukit Samsu on the Kota Tinggi-Mersing road.

The video showed a Perodua Myvi being washed away by the current with a woman clinging to the back of the vehicle, shouting for help.

Speaking to the media, Choo said he was on his way for breakfast from Kota Tinggi to Mawai at 8am Sunday when he chanced upon his friend’s car stopping by the roadside prompting him to do the same.

Upon alighting from his car, he saw a car in the drain being swept away, with two women being carried away by the strong current.

"One woman managed to save herself, while the other was being swept away... considering the risk of drowning, I immediately jumped in to reach the woman, and several other friends did too, as passersby at the scene also assisted.

"I am grateful and very happy to have saved the woman within about five seconds, preventing an unfortunate incident,” he added, noting that he was thankful to not have suffered any injuries while helping the victim.

"I am good at swimming and have navigated hilly and challenging areas before. I am thankful I have the stamina to assist the victim.”