Elephant girl steps closer to her dream

SINTOK: “Elephant girl” Hong Siew Hui is now a step closer to achieving her dream of becoming an accountant after she joined 4,088 new students who registered for various courses at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) here.

The 23-year-old from Taman Bersatu, Simpang Empat, in Alor Setar, who is pursuing a bachelor's degree in finance, registered at the Bukit Kachi residential college outside the university campus.

“I am happy to be here as this has always been my dream. I hope that I will be able to face all the challenges here.”

Hong, who underwent surgery in Guangzhou, China five years ago to remove a 1.5kg facial tumour, was accompanied by her father Hong Wah, 66, mother Goh Jit Yang, 62, and brother Theng Yau, 26, yesterday.

Settling in: Hong making up her bed at the residential college in Bukit Kachi on her first day at Universiti Utara Malaysia in Sintok yesterday.