Seven young men have earned the praise of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim after they were seen in a video jumping into a lake to save a mother and her two young children on Wednesday (Feb 25).

The incident occurred at Tasik Biru Seri Kudang, a lake in Rawang, Selangor, just after midnight.

In a video of the rescue posted by Instagram user Mohamad Faham, he wrote that the cries of a little girl could be heard, prompting him to shout for help. 

Faham said that he was joined by seven to eight other people during the rescue.

"It was about 15 minutes of panic, concern and fear before two young children and their mother were successfully rescued," he said.

According to Faham, the rescuers were themselves scared because the lake is known to be deep.

"As the vehicle's sunroof was opened, two heroes managed to jump in to save the two children. When the situation became more dire, the duo asked others to help the mother... Thankfully, everyone came up safely," he added.

In the video, several men could be seen joining hands to form a human chain to reach the car.

Bernama reported that the woman and her two daughters, aged three and six, were taken to Sungai Buloh Hospital for medical treatment.

Taking to his Facebook on Wednesday afternoon, PM Anwar said that the young men's courage reflect the values of humanity and compassion.

"The resolute actions of those who put the lives of others first, even when their own safety were at stake, ended up saving three lives.

"My sincere appreciation to the seven young men. Your bravery and sincerity reflect the values of humanity and compassion," the prime minister said.