The 15-year-old boy scout who saved the life of the president of the Maldives, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, may be receiving a national honor from the government, according to an official.

A man tried to stab the leader with a kitchen knife wrapped in the flag of Maldives as the Gayoom was stepping off a boat on the Hoarafushi Island on Tuesday. He was shaking hands with the people when the man jumped out and tried to stab him. That’s when Mohammed Jaisham Ibrahim, a 15-year old boy, grabbed the knife, injuring his hand.

The president managed to only with his shirt ripped off from the second attempt of the attacker.

Mohammed Shareef, a spokesman of the government, declared that the government is thinking of honoring the boy. He said: "The Cabinet will discuss it and it's a lengthy process," CNN reports.

"One brave boy saved the president's life," Shareef added.

Ibrahim is now being praised by the Maldives. Midhu Daily newspaper had the following headline: "Jaisham our national hero saves the president,"

Shareef said that the boy was flown to Male to be treated for his cut. He said: "His wound was stitched, but later he complained that he could not move some of his fingers."

Gayoom thanked the boy in a radio broadcast and asked for calm in spite of the differences among parties.

Even though the attacker was identified as being Mohamed Murshid, 20, no motive for the assassination attempt was given.

According to Shareef, it could be a “political motive” but he couldn’t say if the Islamic militants were involved.

Gayoom has ruled the Maldives since 1978 and helped to raise it to a major tourist destination.

The boy scout was greeted at the airport in Male by hundreds of people when he arrived there yesterday, according to Ahmed Zahir, executive editor of Haveeru newspaper.