Malaysians and Israelis probably think they do not have much in common, but actually, they do. ‘BN’.

In Israel, BN are the initials of Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister. The other meaning for BN is ‘Bini Netanyahu’, which in English means ‘Netanyahu’s wife’. BN’s name, is Sara.

In Malaysia, BN stands for Barisan Nasional, the ruling political coalition.

Last week, the leader of Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) said that the Internet was the prime reason for wives neglecting their husbands and children. These ‘disobedient’ wives were responsible for the breakdown of marriages.

Ironically Isma, which has a website, seemed oblivious to the fact that these wives were probably on the Internet, digesting every word the Isma president had to say about the ‘neglectful’, Internet-savvy wives. Perhaps, Isma should take down its website.

Why should women, or the Internet be blamed for the breakdown of marriages? Why bring public attention to the dented egos of husbands, who demand always to be the centre of attention?

Isma was addressing ordinary middle-class wives who neglected their husbands. If only Isma could address the problem of neglected wives, especially the neglected leaders’ wives?

What could leaders do to allay the feeling of boredom in their wives, especially when they are busy managing the country and the economy?

It does not matter if one is the wife of a PM overseeing an election, or fighting off American newspaper allegations about corruption. Similarly, in Israel, what is Bini Netanyahu (BN) to do, when Netanyahu is busy wheeling-and-dealing with the Americans, or fighting off Hamas and other terrorist threats to the nation?

Last week, the Indonesian Religious Affairs Minister, Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, blamed wives for fuelling corruption. He claimed that the penchant of leaders’ wives for expensive designer clothes and handbags had forced their husbands to become corrupt, because they were tempted to do anything to please their wives.

Why blame the women? What is a wife of a busy leader to do? What are Lukman’s tips for the leaders?

A husband who is trying to hold onto power will not have enough time for his wife. Naturally, the temptation to allow the presidential jet to be taken on exotic shopping expeditions, and giving the ‘first lady’ a blank cheque or unlimited credit card are easy options.

When prime ministerial husbands have their plates full, these little kindnesses for their wives save them a lot of grief and a terrible ear-ache.

Every cabinet member knows that keeping the PM free from a humongous nagging from the ‘first lady’ is more important than any other government matter. They need to keep the leader’s mind clear, to plan political manoeuvres, to thwart political opponents, to enlist the support of foreign allies and to organise funds for political emergencies, like ‘winning’ an election.

Expensive tastes

Bini Netanyahu (BN) is reported, by the foreign media, to be one of the most detested women in Israel. BN has been criticised for her expensive tastes, her alleged mistreatment of staff, of interrupting meetings and meddling in state affairs.

BN settled out of court in a case of mistreatment of her housekeeper. The judge, in another case where a household employee had sued BN for alleged abuse, said in a 40-page verdict, that BN had made “exaggerated demands, insults, humiliation and angry outbursts”.

Both Benjamin Netanyahu (BN) and Bini Netanyahu (BN) have been criticised for their lifestyles, which do not reflect those of the ordinary middle-class Israelis.

BN has allegedly thrown shoes at an assistant and fired staff for the flimsiest of reasons, like burning food. She wanted her residence to be like the French presidential palace, and scolded staff for not replacing vases of flowers every day.

BN, like many first ladies in Africa and the Muslim world, tends to use her first lady status to serve herself, rather to serve the citizens.

These first ladies create a huge impression with their ostentatious lifestyle, their shopping trips, their gems, their expensive hairdos, and their designer handbags, instead of furthering the interests of women.

That is Israel’s BN, or Bini Netanyahu, for you. Oh yes, in Malaysia, BN can also mean ‘Barang Naik’, which describes the rising cost of goods. I can’t think of any other BN expansions of the BN acronym. Can you?

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO). Blog, Twitter.