Teen makes sacrifices to care for brother and dad

MELAKA: Siti Nurfatihah Md Nasir would have liked nothing better than to go to school with her friends and expand on her collection of K-pop band BTS merchandise.

However, the 14-year-old teenager had to work to fend for her younger sibling and 56-year-old father, who is currently undergoing drug rehabilitation therapy at home.

The Star team found Siti Nurfatihah working as a cashier at a cafe in the city. When asked for her age, Siti Nurfatihah confided that she had to work to care for her 13-year-old brother Muhammad Ridzwan Md Nasir and her father.

“My mother passed away due to womb cancer early last year and six of my older siblings have left home and never returned,” she said.

Siti Nurfatihah said she was forced to work as there was no food at home. The rent for her wooden house in Kampung Pinang Tengah here has gone unpaid for a year.

“Both of us have to stop school for two months now due to financial constraints,” she said.

Calm and capable: Siti and Ridzwan at their rented house in Kampung Pinang Tengah. She will receive aid from the Melaka Welfare Dept.

Siti Nurfatihah also took the team to her house where the brother had been waiting for food.

“I earn about RM700 a month working part-time and RM200 goes to the house’s rental,” she said, adding that she managed to settle eight months arrears after working for over six months.

Siti Nurfatihah said she and her brother had to stop school because they had to walk almost 2km to attend classes with no proper school bags and shoes.

“I don't like to see other students poke fun at my brother for wearing slippers to school and when he goes hungry without canteen money.

“He is still childish. So, I decided to keep him at home until I am able to buy proper school clothes for him,” she said.

Nurfatihah said while she was eager to return to school, she needed to first find money for food. Klebang assemblyman Gue Teck said yesterday, the state Welfare Department tried to help the siblings by placing them in a shelter but they wanted to remain at home.

“The department will see that the children receive monthly aid.

“Their father is an ex-addict and undergoing treatment,” said Gue, who was alerted to the siblings’ situation.

Siti Nurfatihah, he said, had also resigned, adding that he would help pay for their outstanding rent.

He said he was also making arrangements for them to return to school.

“I will enrol them into a secondary school in Klebang, closer to their home,” he said.