SHAH ALAM - A climate activist and the first Asian woman to complete the Pole to Pole mission, Dr Sharifah Mazlina Syed Abdul Kadir expressed concern that Malaysia could face severe flooding, including in nine cities such as Johor, her home state, if the government continues to ignore the climate crisis.
According to her, this concern is supported by METMalaysia, the leading agency in meteorology, climatology, and geophysics in Malaysia, which predicted that Malaysia could experience significant flooding by 2050, with Johor and Perak being among the first affected areas.
Sharifah warned that although 2050 seems far off, the disaster could occur sooner, particularly due to melting ice in Antarctica which she identified as a critical factor in global warming.
"Although it's expected to happen later, it can always happen earlier. People don't talk about Antarctica, but the main factor lies there," she told Sinar Daily during an interview session recently.
She said that the ice thickness in Antarctica was 2.4km in 2004, covering an area twice the size of Australia.
Currently, the ice thickness has reduced to 1.6 km, with 800km of ice having melted, causing sea levels to rise and increasing the risk of flooding.
"By 2050, the ice there could melt by 40 per cent, potentially triggering tsunamis," she added.
Sharifah also pointed out the importance of integrating climate change education into the curriculum from pre-school to university to raise awareness.
"The younger generations form the foundation of a better future. If this foundation is weak, the whole structure will be affected," she said.
She stressed that the country's stability depends on the youth's understanding and actions regarding climate change.
"Climate change is causing distress; many people get panic attacks when I discuss it. I address these issues one by one, and now they are no longer experiencing panic attacks," she added.
Sharifah urged continuous efforts to strengthen the foundation for future generations to leave a positive environmental legacy.
She highlighted the poor waste management in Selangor, despite being the wealthiest state in the country, as an example of current challenges.
"Use your platforms to speak about the climate crisis," said the activist, who is also the president of All Women Empowerment to Accelerate (Aweta).
Sharifah added that Malaysia's geographical location made it vulnerable, comparing it to a time bomb.
"We are sandwiched between the Philippines and Indonesia, and we will experience the repercussions of natural disasters affecting these countries," she said.
She called for the country to prepare for a potential scale-seven earthquake in the future by increasing awareness of the climate crisis and understanding the implications of changes in Antarctica.
"People tend to spend money on non-essential things rather than on environmental preservation," she said.