Siti Farah battles financial hurdle to military dream
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TUMPAT: Siti Farah Damia Mohd Khairi, a 20-year-old aspiring military officer, has faced three failed attempts at military selection but remains undeterred in her pursuit of a military career. Currently a student at Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) with a 3.67 cumulative grade point average, Siti's primary obstacle is the RM2,549 registration fee for her bachelor's degree in Defence Human Resource Management. Her mother, Ros Ayu Mat Ail, can only contribute RM1,000 towards the fee.
Siti, who lost her father at the age of 11 months, acknowledges her mother's and grandmother, Siti Fatimah Omar, who are the only financial support she has. Her determination to succeed stems from the resilience taught by her challenging upbringing. Despite facing multiple rejections for military interviews, especially for the air force, Siti has remained resolute in her pursuit, particularly for the navy, her top choice.
Her only break came from the navy, where she failed the physical but still perseveres in her dreams. With her mother's limited income from selling handicrafts, Siti's chances of continuing her studies are hanging by a thread.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
