THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary - May 11, 2018 - Topic 2

Mahathir’s surprise: on the Malaysian elections

Mahathir Mohamad’s spectacular victory in Malaysia’s elections has the potential to spur democratic movements across Southeast Asia, where one-party rule and the military’s preeminence are pervasive. Winds of change could be in the offing, with elections looming in a number of countries. A clear majority for the opposition Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) in the new federal legislature signals Mr. Mohamad’s resounding comeback. 

Outgoing Prime Minister Najib Razak’s overall economic track record was not sufficient to salvage the ruling Barisan Nasional (National Front), or its principal party, the United Malays National Organisation. Neither did his government’s stringent curbs on media freedoms, last-minute meddling with electoral constituencies and promises of generous handouts do the trick. This is a historic transition, with UNMO ousted from power for the first time. Mr. Mohamad had helped found UNMO, held power between 1981 and 2003, and in 2009 handpicked Mr. Razak for the big post. Now, the 92-year-old challenged the party that was once his, with the single objective of overthrowing his old protégé. Mr. Razak’s alleged involvement in a multi-million-dollar embezzlement scandal in a sovereign wealth fund appears to have turned the popular mood. Investigations in several countries into investments in the fund, 1Malaysia Development Berhad, dented the country’s reputation as a regional tiger economy. The scandal and Mr. Mohamad’s strong Malay nationalist credentials gave the opposition the momentum it had long sought. Also, he forged an alliance with his arch-rival, Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of the Alliance of Hope, now in prison.

Mr. Mohamad’s return to the Prime Minister’s office after more than a decadecoincides with the recovery of global commodity prices to Malaysia’s advantage. A regional heavyweight in the 1980s and 1990s, he was known for grandstanding on Asian values of collective well-being over the West’s emphasis on individual rights. He may find little need for such sermons on the world stage today, given the West’s diminishing appetite to hold leaderships to account on their human rights record. In any case, Mr. Mohamed has recast himself, and his promise to uphold the rule of law will strike a chord among both his domestic audience and across the ASEAN belt. The region has come to regard lack of democratic accountability as stumbling blocks to consolidating gains from economic integration. It remains to be seen how Mr. Mohamad honours his word to hand over charge to Mr. Ibrahim, whose return to politics is subject to a royal pardon. That would be a statesmanly gesture to cap an epoch-defining victory.

Vocabulary

Spectacular: beautiful in a dramatic and eye-catching way.

Example: Spectacular mountain scenery

Synonyms: striking, picturesque, eye-catching, breathtaking, arresting

Spur: a thing that prompts or encourages someone

Profit was both the spur and the reward of enterprise

Synonyms: stimulus, incentive, encouragement, inducement, impetus

Pervasive: spreading widely throughout an area or a group of people.

Example: Ageism is pervasive and entrenched in our society

Synonyms: prevalent, pervading, permeating, extensive, ubiquitous

Preeminence: the fact of surpassing all others; superiority.

Example: The region has never regained the economic preeminence that it once enjoyed

Synonyms: superiority, supremacy, greatness, excellence, distinction

Sufficient: enough; adequate.

Example: A small income that was sufficient for her needs

Synonyms: enough, plenty of, ample, adequate, satisfactory

Stringent: strict, precise, and exacting.

Example: California's air pollution guidelines are stringent

Synonyms: strict, firm, rigid, rigorous, severe, harsh, tough, tight, exacting

Objective: a thing aimed at or sought; a goal.

Example: The system has achieved its objective

Synonyms: aim, intention, purpose, target, goal, intent, object

Embezzlement: theft or misappropriation of funds placed in one's trust or belonging to one's employer.

Example: Charges of fraud and embezzlement

Synonyms: misappropriation, theft, stealing, robbery, thieving, pilfering

Reputation: the beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone or something.

Example: His reputation was tarnished by allegations that he had taken bribes

Emphasis: special importance, value, or prominence given to something.

Example: They placed great emphasis on the individual's freedom

Synonyms: prominence, importance, significance, value, stress, weight

Diminish: make or become less.

Example: A tax whose purpose is to diminish spending

Synonyms: decrease, lessen, decline, reduce, subside, die down

Appetite: a natural desire to satisfy a bodily need, especially for food.

Example: He has a healthy appetite

Synonyms: hunger, ravenousness, hungriness, taste, palate

Stumble: trip or momentarily lose one's balance; almost fall.

Example: Her foot caught a shoe and she stumbled

Synonyms: trip (over/up), lose one's balance, lose/miss one's footing, slip

Pardon: the action of forgiving or being forgiven for an error or offense.

Example: He obtained pardon for his sins

Synonyms: forgiveness, absolution, clemency, mercy, leniency

Epoch: a period of time in history or a person's life, typically one marked by notable events or particular characteristics.

Example: The Victorian epoch