Datin Paduka Mother Mangalam Iyaswamy Iyer, 81, president of the Pure Life Society, is a relentless social worker bent on serving the less fortunate. This soft-spoken 'mother' to orphans and underprivileged children speaks to SYIDA LIZTA AMIRUL IHSAN about personal struggles, fellow Malaysians and the power of prayer

Q: The Pure Life Society was registered in 1950 to promote multi-religious, multiracial and multi-cultural understanding. Soon after World War 2, it was involved in rescue work and outreach programmes to help the poor. What lessons have you learned along the way?

A: The war was a very big lesson. Everyone had to struggle and start from scratch. I learned a lot from these struggles; to be resourceful, to be able to live with the bare necessities and to learn the feeling of satisfaction.

Those lessons made me what I am. The war displaced families and children. There were people dying from sickness. It made me think hard and got me to do what I do today.

I am, by nature, very much attached to things and people so I cannot handle unexpected deaths. But at this age I have learned to be more steady and stable.

Q: What are some of your personal highlights?

A: If that means something joyful, it was when I came up first in class in Standard Eight (also known as Junior Cambridge). I had worked hard and the results made me happy. The irony was, it happened in 1941, the same year World War 2 broke out in the country.

There have been more struggles than anything else in my life. Sometimes, I get really down. In 1976, for instance, at the time I needed to put up this building badly, my brother was medically boarded in Singapore. I was the eldest in the family and I was responsible for my siblings. So that took a toll on me. On one hand, I had my family and, on the other, the orphans of the society.

I prayed to God and asked that I be shown a way to continue with my work. A couple of weeks later, my mother called to say my dad won first prize in the lottery (so I didn't need to worry about my family). I could literally feel the burden lifting.

It was a change in my pattern of life and I focused on the society.

Q: What are some of the things you have learned about your fellow Malaysians?

A: Malaysians are really a wonderful lot. Somehow, they rise to the occasion every time help is needed. I just have to think about it and it materialises, whatever the needs are. Just the thought will do. Help comes from all races and it's not just in the form of money, but also in service.

Q: Over the years, do you think Malaysians have become more united or less united?

A: In the beginning, this was in the 1940s and 1950s, there were no differences among the people. It was all very inclusive. We didn't regard each other as Chinese, Malay or Indian.

Unfortunately, now, although people try their level best to come together during functions and events, I think it has become a little superficial, and unity is only on the surface. But as far as I am concerned, everyone is my friend.

This society is not a place that's exclusively for Indians. In fact, the first boy from the society to go to university was a Malay.

Before the 1970s, there were Malay kids here. I must say the situation is much better now.

We had three Malay kids here. We sent them to religious classes to learn more about Islam, cooked special food for Hari Raya and made sure they observed their religious practices like fasting.

We should all think that we are part of the human race. If you peel off the skin, we are all the same; same red blood, same bones, same flesh.

Q: What is it about Malaysia that you cannot find anywhere else? What do you love about this country?

A: It is peaceful and that's a fact. Other than war in the 1940s, this country is generally peaceful. Of course, there are bubbles here and there, but that is quite natural. When there is heat inside, there will be bubbles.

But in this country, if you work hard, you will survive and succeed.

Life is much easier now, a far cry from the time of war when I couldn't even find something as simple as aerated water.

And I love Malaysia for the generosity of its people. When (former prime minister) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad gave a boost to the Malaysian economy, people had more money to give.

Before that, it was quite difficult to get support. We had to do a lot of fundraising. When the economy got better, people could afford to help more.

Q: Who are your heroes?

A: There are many. Among them are the late Tun Tan Cheng Lock (founder and first president of MCA), the late Pendita Zaaba (educationist and thinker), the late Tun V.T. Sambanthan (former MIC president), the late Datuk Onn Jaafar (Umno founder), the late Tun Mohamed Suffian Hashim (former lord president), and the late Syed Hussein Alatas (founding member of Gerakan).

My heroes also include Raja Muda of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, Datuk Michael Chong (MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head) and Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye (National Service Training Council chairman).

These people are very broad in their views and understanding. There is an element of wisdom in the way they look at the future.

And I look up to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He really put Malaysia on the world map.

I also admire Toh Puan Dr Aishah Ong (Universiti Malaya pro-chancellor) and Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali. They stood by their husbands through thick and thin. I admire women who stick by their husbands through difficult times.

Q: You were recently conferred the Datuk Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah (DSIS) which carries the title "Datin Paduka" for women by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah. How do you feel about that?

A: I feel the same. I'm still the same Mother Mangalam. I hope this will be of help to the organisation though. The praise goes to the children, staff, people around me and the society. Without them I wouldn't be here. And of course, praise be to God.

Q: During the ceremony, the sultan asked you to advise the Indian community not to be extreme. What was your reaction to his request?

A: I believe it is bad for anyone to be an extremist. We must always be moderate in our approach. What the sultan says is correct. If it's extremism that these people pursue, it is not proper.

We already have enough problems in the world, so extremism by anyone, of any race, anywhere, is bad. But whether the people are really extremists is another question altogether, one that I am not in a position to answer.

Q: What do you think about the youth of today? Living in the post-independence era, do you think they have lost sense of the struggle? What do you think they want?

A: Sadly, I think today's youth just want money without having to work hard for it. They always think in terms of money, and they want to study a subject that gives them a lot of money, not what they are passionate about. They change jobs because they want more money. They must realise that money is not everything in life. I think they have become imbued by this sentiment because of the affluent period in the country.

Children demand a lot of pocket money from their parents these days. "Enjoyment" becomes a prominent word in their vocabulary. There is no end to their desires.

They must learn to be satisfied because that is the greatest wealth. Until you are satisfied, you can never be at peace with yourself.

The word "struggle" has no place in the lives of today's youth. They don't want to struggle, they want everything easy. When they go to university, they want loans and scholarships. Even then, some don't repay their loans.

Q: What is your wish for Malaysia as we enter 2008?

A: I hope the mindset of its people will change. I wish adults, from all levels and positions in society and whatever jobs they hold, will become role models to the young.

This is especially so with teachers and social workers because children imitate and follow them.

Q: What do you want to see improved in the country?

A: I think the first thing people must learn is how to maintain their toilets. Public toilets, school toilets, home toilets, anywhere. Once they know how to do that, everything else will follow.

I think the character of a person can be ascertained from how they manage their waste, how they dispose of rubbish, recycle and keep things clean. It's very important.

Q: Could you please share with us what you think is the quintessential Malaysian experience?

A: Food. We get all types of food here. Unfortunately, I'm diabetic so I usually stick to my diabetic bread and raw vegetables wherever I go. But I like food cooked with a lot of spices.

And the friendliness of the people is, I think, something also uniquely Malaysian.