VOA常速英语2008年-Malaysian Police Interrupt Opposition Leader's

By Luis Ramirez
Bangkok
15 April 2008

Police in Malaysia have stopped a speech by opposition¹ leader Anwar Ibrahim to thousands of supporters in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, late Monday. Anwar is making a political comeback that is challenging the country's ruling coalition²'s 51-year grip on power. VOA's Luis Ramirez reports from our Southeast Asia bureau in Bangkok.

For former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Tuesday marks his return to Malaysian politics from which he was banned after falling out of favor with the ruling coalition 10 years ago.

Analysts³ say the Barisan Nasional coalition - which has ruled Malaysia since independence in 1957 - sees Anwar as a real threat. James Chin is a politics professor at Monash University's Kuala Lumpur campus.

"Anwar is very much a symbol of the Reformasi movement," said Chin. "In other words, he's the symbol of the change that is sweeping⁴ Malaysia."

Anwar's People's Justice Party led the opposition to key victories in general elections last month in which the ruling coalition suffered the biggest losses in its history.

Anwar had been convicted of corruption⁵ and sodomy - charges his supporters say were politically motivated. He was imprisoned⁶ and later released in 2004, but was banned from politics.

On Tuesday, the restrictions⁷ on him expired, paving the way for him to run for office. Thousands of supporters gathered at a late night rally Monday in Kuala Lumpur for a countdown to the midnight expiration⁸ of the ban. The rally was held despite earlier warnings from police that such a gathering⁹ would be illegal because organizers did not apply for a permit.

Witnesses say that about 30 minutes into Anwar's speech, police went on stage and forced him to stop.

Later, at a news conference, Anwar said he has secured the support of enough defectors from the ruling coalition to form a new government. If he does, analysts say he could unseat current Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi.

Support for Mr. Badawi and the ruling coalition has eroded¹⁰ over corruption, rising crime, inflation and rising discontent among ethnic¹¹ Indian and Chinese minorities. The groups complain the current system of giving preferences to majority Muslim Malays is depriving them of opportunities in business, education, housing and other benefits.

Professor Chin says these issues are at the core of Anwar's popularity.

"Anwar has come out and said that this is not the way to go and that the government cannot, or the country cannot, progress as long as you have this ethnic based system," he said. "So, he's presenting to the people a different type of system. He's saying that we should have a system that's fairer to all communities and that race should not be the deciding factor."

Anwar says he does not intend to run for any office in the near future. However, analysts predict his political profile is likely to continue to rise in the coming months.

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 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。

3 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

4 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

5 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。

6 imprisoned   

下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
• They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。

7 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

8 expiration   

n.终结，期满，呼气，呼出物

参考例句：

• Can I have your credit card number followed by the expiration date?能告诉我你的信用卡号码和它的到期日吗?
• This contract shall be terminated on the expiration date.劳动合同期满，即行终止。

9 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

10 eroded   

adj. 被侵蚀的，有蚀痕的 动词erode的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The cliff face has been steadily eroded by the sea. 峭壁表面逐渐被海水侵蚀。
• The stream eroded a channel in the solid rock. 小溪在硬石中侵蚀成一条水道。

11 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。