This figure seems to be holding a small morsel and tempting the dragon, rather slyly, rather like teasing a dog. We've seen this same figure at another pagoda along the ocean beach (My Khe, Pho Quang Pagoda). That figure had just as teasing a posture, but was painted concrete forms, rather than sculpted from marble. This is in a small cave along a strip which was rather commercialised, at the base of the main tourist mountain.
I rather like the teasing expression in this.