Ice Age

(Photo source: http://www.abc.net.au)

The year was 2033

The polar cap has melted a long time ago, flooding the costal areas and completely covering many small costal nations. Many parts of Malaysia costal areas are under the sea. At the same time, the earth began to experience its next cycle of ice age, bringing havoc to many countries in the northern hemisphere.

Countries along the equator were lucky enough to escape the ice age – there is still enough heat from the sun to keep life going as normal. Since the start of the ice age, there have a massive migration of people from the north, and whilst many countries in the equator were kind enough to accommodate those who are wealthy and powerful for the obvious reasons, many were turned away.

Millions died in the next few months of the start of the ice age.

In Malaysia, there has been a new government in power for the last 20 years. It has done well to prepare the people and the country for the drastic climate change. Scientists from all over the world were given preference to live in Malaysia with top level research facilities in exchange for their contribution to the well-being of the country and its citizens.

Top scientists took up the offer – their home in Europe and North America is now buried under tons of snow and ice. Only the brightest and best were picked for key positions in the government and public servant. Some were foreigners, now been assimilated as Malaysians.

Efforts are undertaken as well to reclaim back the lost lands from the sea. Due to the almost “zero corruption” practice of the government and it’s public servants, reclamation efforts which started 10 years ago have almost claimed back 50% of the land lost when level of the sea went up.

Quality of work have been at the highest level and reclaimed land now houses huge farming lands and residential areas for the influx of people migrated to the country.

It was not so rosy 20 years ago, in 2013 that is…

Back then, when the sea levels were starting to rise, something strange happened. Many countries started to work together to minimise the damage. Many undertook embankment efforts to keep the sea water at bay. In Malaysia, the old government started such effort late – but the effort to build it ran into billions of ringgit. Millions were paid out as commissions and “consultancy fees”. High taxes and brutal law was enforced to keep the government in power and corruption unchecked.

Contracts were awarded in secrets and unsurprisingly to someone who is not the best in their fields. Greed was the rule of the day. The first embankment was completed within 5 years after it was started – with a cost overrun and over the timeline by a good 2 years. The project was also had to be stopped several times when the contractors ran out of money and skilled workers to complete them.

Then disaster struck. With ever increase in the level of the sea, the embankment broke down and caused a massive flooding. Thousands died. Later it was found that some much money have been spent on payments to officials and spiralling cost of raw materials that very little money was available for the actual work. The people were disappointed and many took to the streets to protests.

Peaceful protests were met brutally by heavily armed police force – protestors were fought back with tear gases and water cannons. Many were arrested, fuelled by corrupt officials and politicians to silence the protests quickly. But time has changed. Things were not the same anymore. Disaster looms in the corner for every country who does not take the right steps to protect its citizens in light of the global environmental disaster.

The people’s protests only grew louder and stronger.

One day, the protests were so loud and stronger that the police step aside and allowed the protestors to continue with protests. In the meantime, many of the corrupt politicians and officials were siphoning money out of the country and were making preparations to leave the country.

Some of the politicians were caught at the country’s border, many other caught whilst they were still in the office, cleaning their dirty tracks. A new representative of the people started to take over the government – without any elections whatsoever. Damage that has been done for years was being repaired.

Those who made mistakes were made to pay the price – billions that was siphoned out was traced and was brought back.

The new government set their priorities straight – maximum protection to the citizens and taking steps to ensure continuity of its people. Aged and obsolete racist notions such as supremacy of race were discarded in favour of equality to all. Strong and heavy punishment was meted out to anyone who promoted the division of the people by race or religion.

In time, the old regime was wiped out and new government with high level of fairness and dedication was in place, for the dreaded ice age was coming.