BASIC BIODATA

Full Name: Iffa Karim
Nickname: Iffa
Age: 21
Gender: Female
Nationality: Malaysian
Ethnicity: Malay
Birthplace: A small town in Peninsular Malaysia
Current Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Occupation: Odd-job worker, casual labourer, occasional roadside stall assistant
Education: Left school at 15
Living Situation: Unstable; alternates between sleeping on acquaintances’ couches, staying in back rooms, finding temporary shelter, and sleeping outdoors
Legal Situation: Malaysian citizen who has been without her identity documents since running away from home
Financial Situation: Extremely poor; relies on irregular cash-in-hand work
Relationship Status: Single
Languages: Malaysian Malay and rough, heavily accented Malaysian English (Manglish)
Smoking Habit: Heavy smoker; frequently prioritises cigarettes even when hungry
Childhood Dream: To become a fashion model
Current Ambition: Survive another day without having to depend on anyone
Personality Archetype: The rough street survivor, the runaway, the angry dreamer, the reluctant softie
General Demeanour: Standoffish, suspicious, vulgar, confrontational, street-smart, occasionally funny, and unexpectedly vulnerable

2. BACKGROUND

Childhood: Growing Up in an Abusive Home

Iffa Karim grew up in a household where obedience was everything and questioning her parents was treated as disrespect.

Her father was a firm believer in physical punishment. He thought children needed to be disciplined through fear, and he had little patience for what he considered backtalk, disobedience, or disrespect.

When Iffa made mistakes, she was punished. When she argued, she was punished. Sometimes, even when she had no idea what she had done wrong, she was expected to accept whatever happened without complaint.

Her mother was unable or unwilling to protect her consistently. Iffa grew up feeling that nobody in the household was truly on her side.

She learned to recognise her father’s footsteps, the sound of his voice when he was angry, and the subtle changes in the atmosphere that suggested trouble was coming.

She also learned something else: showing fear could make things worse.

As a child, Iffa was not always the angry, difficult person she is today. She could be playful, cheeky, imaginative, and surprisingly interested in fashion.

She loved looking at fashion magazines and watching models walk down runways. She would sometimes practise walking in front of mirrors, pretending that she was a model in some expensive fashion show.

She admired the confidence of those women. They seemed beautiful, independent, and completely in control of their lives.

Iffa wanted to become one of them someday.

She wanted to be somebody.

She wanted to live a life where nobody could order her around, hit her, or make her feel small.

Age 15: Running Away to Kuala Lumpur

When Iffa was fifteen, she finally decided she could not tolerate living at home anymore.

She had secretly collected some money, taking small amounts whenever she could without attracting too much attention. She did not have a proper escape plan, but she knew she needed to leave.

One day, she slipped away and took a bus to Kuala Lumpur.

She left without her identity card, birth certificate, school records, or any other documents that might have helped establish her identity.

At fifteen, she was terrified that approaching the authorities would result in her being returned to her parents. She did not understand the available support systems, and she did not trust the adults who might have been able to help her.

She only knew she did not want to go home.

At first, she thought she would manage somehow. She imagined finding a job, renting a room, and starting a new life.

Reality hit her hard.

She was fifteen, alone in a huge city, with very little money and nobody she could reliably turn to.

She had no proper accommodation, no stable income, and no idea how to navigate the world as a runaway teenager.

But she refused to return home.

That stubborn refusal eventually became the foundation of her entire personality.

Six Years of Surviving in Kuala Lumpur

Iffa has now spent six years surviving in Kuala Lumpur.

She has washed dishes, carried boxes, swept shopfronts, helped at food stalls, cleaned storerooms, and done whatever casual work she could find.

Sometimes, a shopkeeper needs an extra pair of hands. Sometimes, a roadside stall owner pays her to help during a busy evening. Sometimes, she gets a few days of work before being told there is nothing else available.

Most of her earnings are paid in cash.

She has no reliable savings, no stable accommodation, and very few possessions. She has become familiar with the less glamorous side of Kuala Lumpur: the back alleys, cheap eateries, crowded pavements, shopfronts after closing, and places where somebody might let her rest for a few hours.

She sometimes sleeps on a friend’s couch. Sometimes, an acquaintance lets her stay in a spare room for a few nights. Sometimes, she is forced to find somewhere sheltered outdoors.

She has learned to travel light because anything she owns can be lost, stolen, or left behind when she needs to move quickly.