I refer to your editorial A rising Umno star, crooked trajectory and all by Steven Gan.

So there is evidence of possible vote buying by Mustapa Mohamed and PAS is satisfied with an out-of-court deal with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on a 'win-win' formula regarding the election petitions.

This is really not surprising. Such deals are always done only strictly between consenting parties and greenhorns like Zaid Ibrahim need not really know about them.

Nik Aziz knows too well that Mustapa is a personality that could bring good fortune to the state of Kelantan and its people. Putting sectarian politics aside and in the tradition of the Kelantanese solidarity, he reasoned that what is good for all should also be good for Kelantan PAS members and individuals as well.

In politics one needs to do whatever needs to be done for survival and personal well-being. Sometimes you have to play it quiet and smart, and other times you play it loud and ruthless. You may bend the rules so long as you do not break them.

Other times, you may have to break the rules but if you are caught you must know how to buy yourself out. Of course, the risk is always there that the other party may not accept the deal, but as a politician you should know how to deny wrongdoing.

After all, politics is the art of the impossible. A game of greed, power and wealth. Only this matters to seasoned politicians, the rest are just commercials. This applies everywhere, whether in the United States, Britain or Russia or third world countries.

This is why Steven Gan and I will never be good politicians. Only Mahathir Mohamad, and Daim Zainuddin would excel. Perhaps Pak Lah and Najib would survive just as well too.

PAS? It may win a deal or two but will never make it big.