VOA标准英语2008年-Malaysia's Anwar Wins Parliament Seat by a Land

Malaysian opposition¹ leader Anwar Ibrahim won by a landslide² in a crucial by-election that gives him a seat in parliament, the first step in his bid to topple the government. VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins in Jakarta has more.
　
Malaysia's former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim casts his vote at Permatang Pauh, 26 Aug 2008

The Election Commission says Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has won nearly 32,000 of the 47,000 votes cast in a special by-election that pitted him against opposition leader Arif Shah Omar Shah, from the ruling United Malays National Organization party.

Anwar leads a three-party coalition³ of Islamists and activists⁴, while his opponent represented UMNO, the dominant⁵ party in a coalition that has ruled Malaysia since independence in 1957.

After the March general elections gave the opposition a third of parliament, Anwar pledged to topple the government by September 16th. Now that he has a parliament seat, he will need to convince 30 lawmakers to switch sides in order to seize power.

Speaking before a crowd of his supporters, Anwar said it is clear Malaysians want change.

"You see, the groundswell of support is there," Anwar said. "This vote means that Malaysians want a change. We are entering parliament with a clear agenda. It is time that you behave and accept the stark⁷ realities of the day."

Anwar, a former deputy prime minister, has struggled to get back into the political arena⁸, after he was jailed for six years on sodomy and corruption⁹ charges which he says were politically motivated.

The supreme¹⁰ court overturned the sodomy charges, releasing Anwar from jail in 2004, but he was barred from entering politics until April, because the corruption charges stood.

Anwar's wife, Wan⁶ Azizah Wan Ismail, vacated her seat in June, paving the way for her husband to re-enter politics. But the government again charged Anwar with sodomy - this time with his 23-year-old male aide - a crime in Malaysia that is punishable by up to 20 years in jail.

Anwar, a 61-year-old father of six, vehemently¹¹ denies the sodomy charges, saying they are politically motivated. A recent poll shows most Malaysians agree with him.

Political analyst¹² Khoo Kay Peng says Anwar's message has resonated with the Malaysian people.

"I think very significantly the importance of the victory is in the campaign message itself," Khoo Kay said. "I think it is evident in this campaign that Anwar has carried a truly non-sectarian and non-communal message to the people. And I think this is something very, very important for all our people, especially proponents¹³ of non-sectarian politics in this county."

Anwar has pledged to clamp down on corruption and revive the country's ailing¹⁴ economy.

 

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 landslide   

n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票；一面倒的胜利

参考例句：

• Our candidate is predicated to win by a landslide.我们的候选人被预言将以绝对优势取胜。
• An electoral landslide put the Labour Party into power in 1945.1945年工党以压倒多数的胜利当选执政。

3 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

4 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

6 wan   

(wide area network)广域网

参考例句：

• The shared connection can be an Ethernet,wireless LAN,or wireless WAN connection.提供共享的网络连接可以是以太网、无线局域网或无线广域网。

7 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

8 arena   

n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台

参考例句：

• She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
• He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。

9 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

10 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

11 vehemently   

adv. 热烈地

参考例句：

• He argued with his wife so vehemently that he talked himself hoarse. 他和妻子争论得很激烈，以致讲话的声音都嘶哑了。
• Both women vehemently deny the charges against them. 两名妇女都激烈地否认了对她们的指控。

12 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

13 proponents   

n.（某事业、理论等的）支持者，拥护者( proponent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Reviewing courts were among the most active proponents of hybrid rulemaking procedures. 复审法院是最积极的混合型规则制定程序的建议者。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Proponents of such opinions were arrested as 'traitors. ' 提倡这种主张的人马上作为“卖国贼”逮捕起来。 来自辞典例句

14 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。