Why did Najib use the word ‘bangsat’?

What’s English for “bangsat”?

Some media translate it as “bastard“ or “bastardised”. Others use “destitute”.

If we Google Malay or Indonesian to English online dictionaries, we are told the meaning of “bangsat” is “extremely poor, destitute rogue, rascal, vagrant” – even “mother-f***** and “ar******”.

Whatever the definition, it’s something nobody wants to be called or labelled as.

Add “ter” in front of the word (to become “terbangsat“) and it can only mean very very …… (pick any of the above meanings).

Hence when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak chose “terbangsat” to describe what the Malays would be should Umno lose power, it can be read as an indication of “just how determined” (to detractors, it’s “how desperate”) the PM is in wanting to hold on to power.

The “deductive reasoning” (well, sort of anyway) is this: Najib want the Malays to support Umno which must be strong,  and this can only be achieved if the party is united – meaning all party members must be as one and not go against the president.

Bear in mind Umno has always propagated no contest for its top posts in the name of party unity despite saying party elections are part of the democratic process which it claims to embrace.

So “terbangsat” comes into play to scare the songkok off the Malays. Threatened, the Malays would be “pressured” to “sokong” Umno, and Umno members who are overwhelmingly Malay would have to rise up to that by forging unity even if they do not agree with the party president.

So goes the “reasoning”, rightly or wrongly.

It’s clear that Najib is cheesed off with what’s happening in the party now.

He is still very much in control. Make no mistake about that. But between heaps of prises come voices of discontent – or rather, dissent.

And they’re getting louder. Although those voicing it out – in the open, that is – are not there in term of numbers, and follow-up action to go with the discontent is wanting, “undercurrents” – now that’s a different story.

Umno insiders admit “keadaan sangat teruk”. The main grouses of the “akar umbi” are the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fiasco and RM2.6 billion donation which made its way into the president’s personal bank accounts. That’s a given.

To cut a long story short, many in the party feel Najib is fast becoming a liability, if he’s not one already.

Aggravating the situation is the band of Najib cheerleaders, including ministers, who in their eagerness to defend their boss make statements which do not do justice to their objective.

This is akin to the Malay saying, “sokong bawa rebah”. Doing more damage than good. Still, Najib is fighting back, and fighting hard.

All in Umno know the present situation cannot be allowed to continue.

Perhaps some folk in the party are hatching something to enable Umno to come out of the current turmoil. 

But no one is talking of such a plan – if there is one in the first place. – August 27, 2015.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.