PARAGRAPH, WORDS AND MEANINGS

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PARAGRAPH, WORDS AND MEANINGS

TOPIC OF THE DAY –

Mahathir’s challenge: on the Malaysian general election –

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has many things going for him in the May 9 general election, but whether they will suffice in the face of a corruption scandal is an open question. With the economy growing at 6%, helped along by lavish infrastructure spending, Malaysia’s overall outlook could not appear more robust. But Mr. Razak’s opponent and erstwhile mentor, the 92-year-old former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, is hoping to exploit the incumbent’s links to a billion-dollar corruption scandal in a state investment fund. The battle lines have been sharply drawn, but there possibly exists an advantage for the ruling Barisan Nasional (National Front), led by the United Malays National Organisation, insofar as it has had a long record in office. Also, almost 70% of the population are bumiputras, mainly Malays and other indigenous groups, that have traditionally voted for the UMNO. This group has benefited significantly over the years from Malaysia’s policy of according preferential treatment to it in terms of access to education and government jobs. Parliament’s recent approval of the redrawn electoral constituencies has reinforced allegations of gerrymandering and unequal sizing of electoral districts to benefit the National Front. The conduct of polling on a week day has led to allegations that this has been done to deter a large number of citizens working in neighbouring Singapore from casting their votes — it is believed that a lower turnoutwill work in favour of Mr. Razak’s party. The election campaign has seen an estrangement between one-time allies and a coming together of former foes. Mr. Mohamad, who has returned to frontline politics as the incumbent’s principal challenger, was instrumental in the installation of Mr. Razak. He was also once the arch-rival of the man he is standing in for, Anwar Ibrahim, the imprisoned leader of the opposition Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope). Uncomfortably for the Prime Minister, news that some $4.5 billion had gone missing from a government fund coincided with the appearance of about $600-odd million in his personal account. Not many have bought his explanation of the sum as a gift from a well-wisher. Mr. Mohamad says the scandal forced him to stage a political comeback and lead a punishing campaign. The veteran politician has sought to channel public anger against the recent imposition of a goods and services tax, portraying the levy as a penalty to recover the losses on account of the missing funds. The National Front is therefore anxious to avert a repeat of its performance in the 2013 polls, when it was returned merely by virtue of the parliamentary seats it won, while losing the popular vote. The party is acutely aware that it needs to regain some lost popularity if it is going to make the best of this election.

WORDS AND MEANINGS –

 Suffice

Meaning: Be enough or adequate.

Example: “a quick look should suffice”

Synonyms: Serve, Enough

Lavish

Meaning: Sumptuously rich, elaborate, or luxurious.

Example: “a lavish banquet”

Synonyms: Lush, Gorgeous

Antonyms: Meagre

Robust

Meaning: Strong and healthy; vigorous.

Example: “the Caplan family are a robust lot”

Synonyms: Strong, Sturdy

Antonyms: Weak, Frail

Erstwhile

Meaning: Former.

Example: “the erstwhile president of the company”

Synonyms: Former, Sometime

Antonyms: Present, Future

Exploit

Meaning: Make full use of and derive benefit from (a resource).

Example: “500 companies sprang up to exploit this new technology”

Synonyms: Utilize, Use

Incumbent

Meaning: The holder of an office or post.

Example: “the present incumbent will soon be retiring”

Synonyms: Holder, Bearer

Insofar

Meaning: To the degree that.

Example: She had done her best to comfort him, insofar as she was able.

Bumiputras

Meaning: A Malaysian of indigenous Malay origin.

Example: “bumiputra ownership”

Indigenous

Meaning: Originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native.

Example: “the indigenous peoples of Siberia”

Synonyms: Native, Aboriginal

Antonyms: Expatriate, Migrant

Preferential

Meaning: Of or involving preference or partiality; constituting a favour or privilege.

Example: “preferential interest rates may be offered to employees”

Synonyms: Special, Better

Redrawn

Meaning: Draw or draw up again or differently.

Example: “the rota was redrawn”

Reinforced

Meaning: Strengthen or support (an object or substance), especially with additional material.

Example: “the helmet has been reinforced with a double layer of cork”

Synonyms: Strengthen, Fortify

Gerrymandering

Meaning: Achieve (a result) by gerrymandering.

Example: “an attempt to gerrymander the election result”

Allegations

Meaning: A claim or assertion that someone has done something illegal or wrong, typically one made without proof.

Example: “he made allegations of corruption against the administration”

Synonyms: Claim, Assertion

Deter

Meaning: Prevent the occurrence of.

Example: “strategists think not only about how to deter war, but about how war might occur”

Synonyms: Prevent, Stop

Antonyms: Encourage

Casting

Meaning: Discard.

Example: “he jumped in, casting caution to the wind”

Synonyms: Discard, Reject

Antonyms: Accept

Turnout

Meaning: The number of people attending or taking part in an event, especially the number of people voting in an election.

Example: “we reckon that thirty-five per cent is a good turnout for local elections”

Synonyms: Attendance, Audience

Estrangement

Meaning: The fact of no longer being on friendly terms or part of a social group.

Example: “the growing estrangement of the police from their communities”

Synonyms: Alienation, Hostility

Antonyms: Unity, Reconciliation

Foes

Meaning: An enemy or opponent.

Example: “his work was praised by friends and foes alike”

Synonyms: Rival, Adversary

Antonyms: Friend

Arch-rival

Meaning: The chief rival of a person, team, or organization.

Synonyms: Foe, Adversary

Veteran

Meaning: A person who has had long experience in a particular field.

Example: “a veteran of two world wars”

Synonyms: Expert, Old-hand

Antonyms: Novice, Recruit

Portraying

Meaning: Describe (someone or something) in a particular way.

Example: “the book portrayed him as a self-serving careerist”

Synonyms: Represent, Depict

Anxious

Meaning: Very eager or concerned to do something or for something to happen.

Example: “the company was anxious to avoid any trouble”

Synonyms: Eager, Desirous

Avert

Meaning: Prevent or ward off (an undesirable occurrence).

Example: “talks failed to avert a rail strike”

Synonyms: Prevent, Avoid

Acutely

Meaning: (with reference to something unpleasant or unwelcome) intensely.

Example: “the whole situation was acutely embarrassing”

Synonyms: Extremely, Very

Antonyms: Slightly