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Focus Malaysia
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
Malaysia's Leviathan: Anwar's pact for order
IN LEVIATHAN, 17th-century philosopher Thomas Hobbes argued that in the absence of a sovereign authority, human beings live in a 'state of nature' characterised by fear, insecurity, and constant conflict. Without a central power to impose order, each individual acts in their own interest, often threatening others in the process. The solution, Hobbes proposed, was the creation of an all-powerful sovereign that an entity entrusted with absolute authority to maintain peace and stability. In modern political terms, this sovereign is the state itself. As Malaysia navigates a complex era under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Hobbes's insights offer a compelling lens through which to assess both the administration's actions and the expectations of its citizens. Anwar's unity government came into power in November 2022 amid political fragmentation, economic uncertainty, and mounting social anxieties. Hobbes believed that individuals are willing to surrender certain liberties in exchange for protection and stability, an idea that resonates strongly in Malaysia today. The administration has embarked on sweeping reforms aimed at restoring fiscal discipline, narrowing the budget deficit, and fostering long-term economic resilience. Chief among these is the rationalisation of fuel subsidies, beginning with RON95 petrol, and the expansion of the sales and services tax (SST). These changes, though necessary from a governance and economic standpoint, have generated anxiety among citizens already burdened by high living costs. In the Hobbesian framework, such reforms are the sovereign's attempt to provide security but they can only succeed if the public perceives that their sacrifices are being met with tangible, equitable outcomes. The fear of losing one's livelihood or economic stability mirrors Hobbes's portrayal of insecurity in the state of nature. When individuals feel unprotected or perceive policies as unjust, they may turn against the very structure meant to preserve order. Anwar's administration must therefore tread carefully, ensuring that reforms do not deepen inequality or alienate key voter bases, particularly the Malay majority who feel increasingly disillusioned. Budget 2025, with its record-high spending and emphasis on targeted aid, aims to balance austerity with inclusiveness. But execution is critical. Hobbes warned that a sovereign who cannot enforce fairness or maintain the confidence of the people risks collapse into chaos. In his theory, Hobbes emphasised that human conflict often arises not just from survival instincts but from the desire for status and recognition. Malaysia's deeply embedded socio-economic hierarchies—defined along ethnic, class, and regional lines echo this dynamic. Anwar's flagship socio-economic reform, the Bumiputera Transformation 2035 (PuTERA35), seeks to address these disparities by elevating disadvantaged Malay communities through better education, asset ownership, and entrepreneurial support. Yet critics argue that its lack of coordination and uneven implementation may inadvertently reinforce cronyism or widen gaps between the elite and marginalised. For Hobbes, the sovereign's role is not just to distribute resources but to do so transparently and impartially. Failure to address perceived favouritism or inefficiency can provoke rivalry and undermine national cohesion. Another dimension of Hobbes's sovereign is the monopoly on the interpretation of laws. In Malaysia, Anwar's administration has moved to strengthen its control over public discourse by expanding the scope of the Sedition Act and passing new laws under the Communications and Multimedia Act and the Cyber Security Act. While these measures are justified by the government as necessary for maintaining harmony and preventing extremism, they also curtail civil liberties and may stifle dissent. Hobbes acknowledged that a sovereign must sometimes suppress liberties to prevent disorder, but he also warned that overreach can erode trust. For a diverse and increasingly vocal Malaysian society, maintaining this balance between control and freedom is a delicate act. Externally, Hobbes's concept of the sovereign extends to international relations, where states act much like individuals in the state of nature competing for power, resources, and security. Anwar's foreign policy, especially during Malaysia's 2025 ASEAN chairmanship, reflects this reality. He has skilfully navigated Malaysia's position between competing powers, engaging with both the United States and China while pursuing strategic partnerships with BRICS nations. This balancing act is crucial to Malaysia's sovereignty and stability, especially amid global tensions in the South China Sea. According to Hobbes, a strong sovereign must shield its people from external threats and establish a reliable role in the global order, objectives that Anwar seems committed to pursuing through diplomacy and economic alignment. So, what can Malaysians realistically expect from Anwar's government through the Hobbesian lens? First, continued economic restructuring that demands public patience and trust. Second, increased efforts to centralise and streamline governance, eliminating duplication and inefficiencies across state agencies. Third, a more regulated civic space, particularly in the digital realm, as the state attempts to police misinformation and preserve unity. Fourth, long-term social programs aimed at redistributing wealth and uplifting vulnerable communities though their success hinges on competent implementation and transparency. Finally, proactive international engagement to secure Malaysia's relevance and buffer it from external shocks. Ultimately, Hobbes's Leviathan teaches us that authority, while sometimes restrictive, is necessary to prevent descent into disorder. Anwar's administration has assumed this Hobbesian role: demanding sacrifices while promising security and order in return. Whether this social contract holds will depend on the state's ability to deliver justice, economic opportunity, and peace across a pluralistic society. If Malaysians see that their obedience yields protection and fairness, the Leviathan will be legitimised. But if sacrifices are met with inequality, repression, or inefficiency, the fragile compact may fracture and Hobbes's state of nature may not seem so hypothetical after all. ‒ July 23, 2025 R. Paneir Selvam is the principal consultant of Arunachala Research & Consultancy Sdn Bhd, a think tank specialising in strategic national and geopolitical matters. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia. Main image: The Star
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
NYT Mini Crossword today, April 30, 2025: Hints and answers to crack today's complete grid
NYT Mini Crossword has become a favored ritual for many seeking a brief mental workout during breaks or morning coffee. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The NYT Mini Crossword Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Across Clues and Their Interpretive Hints 1 Across: "Picture holder" — Solvers were prompted to think of something ending in 'E.' 6 Across: "New spin on an old song" — The clue starts with 'R,' directing attention toward musical reinterpretations. 7 Across: "Cream of the crop" — A familiar idiom pointing toward a word ending in 'E.' 8 Across: "Hobbes in Calvin and Hobbes, for one" — This comic strip reference starts with a 'T.' 9 Across: "Profit = revenue - ____" — A straightforward fill-in-the-blank with the second letter 'O.' Down Clues and Nuanced Prompts 1 Down: "Agonize (over)" — Ends in 'T,' nudging toward an emotional response. 2 Down: "Item in Indiana Jones's satchel, perhaps" — Begins with 'R,' calling to mind archaeological tools or treasures. 3 Down: "Compadre" — Ends in 'O,' suggesting a Spanish-derived term of friendship. 4 Down: "Itty-bitty biters" — Starts with 'M,' hinting at small insects. 5 Down: "Wield, as influence" — Features an 'E' in the middle, pushing solvers to consider forceful actions. Full Answers to Today's NYT Mini Crossword FRAME REMIX ELITE TIGER COST FRET RELIC AMIGO MITES EXERT FAQs What is the hardest day of the New York Times mini-crossword? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Does Nyt Games work offline? In the growing ecosystem of digital puzzles curated by The New York Times, the NYT Mini Crossword continues to stand out as a compact yet mentally engaging Wednesday, April 30, 2025, solvers once again found themselves greeted with a five-by-five grid packed with clever clues—some straightforward, others requiring a dash of lateral part of the Times' broader word games lineup, which includes Wordle, Strands, and Connections, the NYT Mini has carved a niche among puzzle enthusiasts seeking a brief but rewarding the larger daily Crossword reserved for subscribers, NYT Mini is accessible to all, offering a concise alternative that takes just a few minutes but delivers the satisfaction of solving something its limited size, the puzzle often integrates current cultural references, timeless vocabulary, and clever puzzle was no exception, featuring clues that drew on both pop culture and basic economic concepts, ensuring a broad appeal across different age groups and knowledge solvers seeking a nudge rather than a full reveal, the following clues were designed to provide just enough direction, as per a report by Parade magazine:These hints were intended to aid players in making educated guesses without giving away too vertical answers challenged solvers with indirect but accessible clues:For those ready to confirm their answers or simply unable to crack today's grid, here are the correct entries:The crossword puzzles become progressively more challenging as the week goes on, starting with the easiest on Monday and reaching peak difficulty by and All Access subscribers have access to an archive of past puzzles, which can be downloaded and enjoyed offline.
Forbes
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘NYT Mini' Clues And Answers For Wednesday, April 30
Mini Crossword NYT If you're looking for the answers to the Tuesday, April 29 NYT Mini, those are here: The NYT Mini is a quick and dirty version of the newspaper's larger and long-running crossword. Most days, there are between three and five clues in each direction on a five by five grid, but the puzzles are sometimes larger, especially on Saturdays. Unlike its larger sibling, the NYT Mini crossword is free to play on the New York Times website or NYT Games app. However, you'll need an NYT Games subscription to access previous puzzles in the archives. The NYT Mini is a fun daily distraction that usually takes no time at all. I try to beat the standard weekday grid in less than a minute. But sometimes I can't quite figure out one or two clues and need to reveal the answer. To help you avoid doing that, here are the NYT Mini Crossword answers (spoilers lie ahead, of course): ACROSS 1) Picture holder - FRAME6) New spin on an old song - REMIX7) Cream of the crop - ELITE8) Hobbes in "Calvin and Hobbes," for one - TIGER9) Profit = revenue – ___ - TIGER DOWN 1) Agonize (over) - FRET2) Item in Indiana Jones's satchel, perhaps - RELIC3) Compadre - AMIGO4) Itty-bitty biters - MITE5) Wield, as influence - EXERT NYT Mini NYT Well, I don't know what to tell you, but that might have just been the easiest Mini I've ever done. 32 seconds start to finish. Just nothing hard in here at all for me at least. I got four of the five across words essentially immediately which just left Elite, but that was made clear soon enough. I certainly did not need my econ degree for profit = revenue - cost, which I do actually have. Hopefully tomorrow will bring a harder puzzle. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion - Trump is unleashing Hobbesian anarchy
Thomas Hobbes, one of the first modern political thinkers, argued in 'The Leviathan' (1651) that people need a strong ruler to save them from a 'state of nature' where life is 'solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.' Without an all-powerful government, he argued, humans would exist amid savage anarchy — a 'war of all against all.' The first rule in this perpetual battle of every one against his neighbor is do whatever is expedient for your own survival. But the logic of survival pushes people to accept the authority of an absolutely sovereign power. They enter this social contract out of fear, either of their fellows or of an external conqueror. Political legitimacy depends on whether the sovereign can protect those who have consented to obey him. Their obligation ends when that protection ceases. To avoid governmental collapse and a return to the state of nature, people obey their sovereign as the absolute authority. God will not hold them responsible for wrongful actions done at the sovereign's command. Mere subjects, they cannot anticipate or control the sovereign's actions. President Trump agrees with Hobbes that the sovereign must have absolute authority — his powers neither divided nor limited. Trump acts as though he is an all-knowing and omnipotent sovereign — untrammeled by the Constitution, the legislature or courts. Whatever he does is legal and justified. Trumpism and the Department of Government Efficiency are returning American society to a primitive state of nature. With no wise and benevolent authority, chaos prevails. As Hobbes warned, without order there is 'no place for Industry, because the fruit thereof is uncertain: and consequently no Culture of the Earth; no Navigation, nor use of the commodities that may be imported by Sea; no commodious Building; no Instruments of moving and removing such things as require much force; no Knowledge of the face of the Earth; no account of Time; no Arts; no Letters; no Society; and … continual Fear, and danger of violent death.' For Americans and Europeans, government is supposed to promote not only life but also liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The founder of the Republican Party, Abraham Lincoln, added that 'the legitimate object of government is to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done, but can not do at all, or can not so well do, for themselves — in their separate, and individual capacities.' Since the Civil War, the U.S. government has struggled to foster what is now called diversity, equity and inclusion as frameworks for fair treatment and full participation of all people, In 1865, for example, laws called for preferential hiring for veterans and their widows. The 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments, ratified after the Civil War, addressed slavery, citizenship and voting rights. Human rights in the U.S. have advanced and regressed, but markedly improved under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1936, for example, he signed the Randolph-Sheppard Act requiring that federal government purchasing give preference to products made by the blind. Instead of boosting public wellbeing, however, Trump and his unelected lieutenant, Elon Musk, are lowering it. Of course every human institution can be improved, but any change in a complex organization needs to be carefully designed and implemented — not castrated with a chainsaw. 'Who will tell Trump he's naked?' Catherine Rampell asked in the Washington Post last week. After Trump launched his multifront trade war — leading to one of the worst market massacres since World War II — his closest confidants and aides have been unwilling to call him out or rein him in. A constructive if imperfect equilibrium has been replaced by chaotic uncertainty. Life has become 'a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage … a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing.' The idiot now is the U.S. sovereign, plus the incompetent aides he has implanted around him to execute his whims. Walter Clemens is professor emeritus in the Department of Political Science at Boston University and associate at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University. He is the author of 'The Republican War on America: Dangers of Trump and Trumpism.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
14-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump is unleashing Hobbesian anarchy
Thomas Hobbes, one of the first modern political thinkers, argued in 'The Leviathan' (1651) that people need a strong ruler to save them from a 'state of nature' where life is 'solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.' Without an all-powerful government, he argued, humans would exist amid savage anarchy — a 'war of all against all.' The first rule in this perpetual battle of every one against his neighbor is do whatever is expedient for your own survival. But the logic of survival pushes people to accept the authority of an absolutely sovereign power. They enter this social contract out of fear, either of their fellows or of an external conqueror. Political legitimacy depends on whether the sovereign can protect those who have consented to obey him. Their obligation ends when that protection ceases. To avoid governmental collapse and a return to the state of nature, people obey their sovereign as the absolute authority. God will not hold them responsible for wrongful actions done at the sovereign's command. Mere subjects, they cannot anticipate or control the sovereign's actions. President Trump agrees with Hobbes that the sovereign must have absolute authority — his powers neither divided nor limited. Trump acts as though he is an all-knowing and omnipotent sovereign — untrammeled by the Constitution, the legislature or courts. Whatever he does is legal and justified. Trumpism and the Department of Government Efficiency are returning American society to a primitive state of nature. With no wise and benevolent authority, chaos prevails. As Hobbes warned, without order there is 'no place for Industry, because the fruit thereof is uncertain: and consequently no Culture of the Earth; no Navigation, nor use of the commodities that may be imported by Sea; no commodious Building; no Instruments of moving and removing such things as require much force; no Knowledge of the face of the Earth; no account of Time; no Arts; no Letters; no Society; and … continual Fear, and danger of violent death.' For Americans and Europeans, government is supposed to promote not only life but also liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The founder of the Republican Party, Abraham Lincoln, added that 'the legitimate object of government is to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done, but can not do at all, or can not so well do, for themselves — in their separate, and individual capacities.' Since the Civil War, the U.S. government has struggled to foster what is now called diversity, equity and inclusion as frameworks for fair treatment and full participation of all people, In 1865, for example, laws called for preferential hiring for veterans and their widows. The 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments, ratified after the Civil War, addressed slavery, citizenship and voting rights. Human rights in the U.S. have advanced and regressed, but markedly improved under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1936, for example, he signed the Randolph-Sheppard Act requiring that federal government purchasing give preference to products made by the blind. Instead of boosting public wellbeing, however, Trump and his unelected lieutenant, Elon Musk, are lowering it. Of course every human institution can be improved, but any change in a complex organization needs to be carefully designed and implemented — not castrated with a chainsaw. 'Who will tell Trump he's naked?' Catherine Rampell asked in the Washington Post last week. After Trump launched his multifront trade war — leading to one of the worst market massacres since World War II — his closest confidants and aides have been unwilling to call him out or rein him in. A constructive if imperfect equilibrium has been replaced by chaotic uncertainty. Life has become 'a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage … a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing.' The idiot now is the U.S. sovereign, plus the incompetent aides he has implanted around him to execute his whims.
