Local netizens have spotted that HKTV’s 2014 drama series, The Election, may have predicted the recent lead contamination scandal unfolding at several housing estates.
A Facebook user recalled episode 12 of the political drama series, during which a village in northwestern New Territories was discovered to have lead contamination in its water supply. Villagers were found to have been collectively poisoned by the chemical element.
In the drama, the Hong Kong government was trying to develop a “northwestern industrial estate”. Its construction caused the contamination of a water source at a local village and an environmental impact assessment was found to be fraudulent.
The plot even included angry villagers demanding that the president of the legislature – who was involved in the fictional scandal – drink the contaminated water and apologise to the public.
In reality, back in present day Hong Kong, localist group Civic Passion are organising a campaign entitled “Invite the Chief Executive to Drink Water”. The group has called upon affected residents to bring their “lead water” to Government House on Saturday in protest of the scandal.
Internet users have weighed in on the stunning alignment between the fictional and real-life dramas. One Facebook user praised the series as “a superb drama”.
Another user said he would watch the drama to “look carefully at what happened after the lead contamination incident”.
