SHAH ALAM - Growing up in the bustling but often challenging surroundings of Chow Kit has shaped the outlook of a 13-year-old girl who says she does not dream of anything extraordinary, only a simple and ordinary life.
The teenager, known as Lily (not her real name), has lived in the area with her family for the past decade and says she has become accustomed to the environment there.
"I have never spoken with my mother or father about dreams. So that is why I have never really thought about ambitions or what I want to become when I grow up. I will just go with whatever comes, I do not mind what kind of work I end up doing.
"If I could choose the life I want, I would just want to live a normal life," she said.
The second of four siblings who hailed from Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, described Chow Kit as the only environment she has truly known, adding that she considered it her own village after living there since childhood.
Lily studies at Sekolah Bimbingan Jalinan Kasih in Kuala Lumpur together with her siblings, who attended the same school.
"I feel comfortable living here because I have been here since I was small. My friends are all fine and kind.
"There are indeed people who take drugs here, but I only see them from far away. If I come across someone who looks like an addict, I will run away quickly," she said.
Lily said her father earns a living by running a small business at Pasar Seni, while her mother stays at home to focus on caring for the family.
At times, she added, the family also received assistance distributed to residents in the area.
"Sometimes, we gather to receive food aid distributed to local residents when our family’s name is called," she said.