{
  "id": 7184720,
  "title": "Siti Farah battles financial hurdle to military dream",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/siti-farah-battles-financial-hurdle-to-military-dream",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-13T22:01:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/09/1532168/siti-farah-battles-financial-hurdle-military-dream"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.\n\nSiti, 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.",
  "summary": "Your browser does not support the audio element.",
  "key_points": [
    "20-year-old Siti Farah Damia aims for military career.",
    "Faces RM2,549 registration fee for degree.",
    "Mother contributes RM1,000, financial future uncertain."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}