No day passes by without some power play being enacted on this land of Boleh and land of Tak Boleh. There are things that we boleh and there are other things which we tak boleh depending upon who says it.

Take for example the transitional transfer of power played out in Umno circles for the covetous prize of the premiership. Act One: The president and the deputy president of Umno had a four- eyed (excluding the spectacles of course!) discussion on when one should step down and another should step up.

How long they took, nobody knows. All we know was the announcement that June 2010 was the firm date. Then the Umno supreme council endorsed the plan. Everybody was happy or presumed to be happy with the arrangement.

Months later, with backdoor pressure and front door threats, another Umno supreme council meeting was quickly convened; and because of the importance of the meeting, the deputy prime took over the finance ministry.

Act Two was revising the date of the transfer of power as somebody was getting impatient by the day. The date was brought forward to March 2009. That is in five months - very nice! Everything was falling into place. The president would not contest the election, clearing the way for the second man to garner nominations; and he did so well that his rival was practically shut out.

He could not even qualify to be at the starting gate. So, finally the deputy president romps in, no sweat at all! This second transitional date then made it easier for one of the three vice-presidents to go all-out for the second spot. The field was clear; and he had a head-start in the race to the deputy president's post. It appeared to be a shoo-in.

Suddenly two dark horses loomed over the horizon, galloping furiously and fiercely to the finishing line. Finally it became a three-horse race and there is no certainty that the first horse would win hands down. Hence, intense campaigning is the order of the day for the next five months. In such a contest, anything goes - money, promises of contracts, feast, perks, etc.

There is money in politics and there is politics in money. ‘Deal or no deal?’ No money, no politics. No politics, no money. The lust for power is intense. Once power is attained, then there is power for lust. Then the winner runs all the way to the bank. The loser?

Once a politician, now retired, was unsure of his position and to hedge his bets, he said ‘No winner should take all; and no loser should lose all!’. A true gentleman, if you can find one. But when he won, he changed the rules. He cut down those who lost and sent them into the political wilderness.

The losers quit the party and formed another, Semangat 46, licking their wounds and sulking at the sidelines. So never believe in the rules and code of ethics of politicians which are meant to fool and tie down the other side. But if the rules and code of ethics are cumbersome and disadvantageous, throw them aside.

So while the Umno men vie for power and lust in politics, the women are also engaged in a four-eyed chat. This evolved into a transitional transfer of power in June 2009. But with the ground itching for a quick change of power, it appears that the velvet gloves are off and the top two positions will be contested. Will the incumbent give in and surrender her quest for a short stint in power of three months?

Or will she throw everything to the wind and contest for all that is worth? And for a mere three months of power? To teach the second in command a lesson in ethics and morality, she may fight tooth and nail and we’ll see who will be bruised. We shall see tomorrow or the day after what the play will be.

Umno was dubbed by PAP in the 1960's as 'U Must Not Object’ Those who objected would be marginalised. So like sheep, they bowed and continue to this day to bow to Umno leaders at every turn until they could not bend any more.

While this wayang kulit is going on, another BN party, MCA, is having its own drama. The deputy president wants a seat in the cabinet. Well, the president holds all the trump cards and he may play any game as he wishes. After all, did he not win the election? What might have happened if his challenger had beaten him to the finishing line?

MCA was once called ‘ Money Conquers All’ during the heyday when money talked and money conquered. It was the time of the towkay. But now they have become taugeh which is easily obtainable in the wet market.

Then, we have the third leg of the triumvirate of the Alliance of old. The MIC was known in those days as 'May I Come? '

Of course, they could provided they kept their mouths shut. 'No noise, please. Big Brother is talking.' Now, with most of its top echelon leaders massacred at the March 8 polls, everybody wants to helm this party.

The present leader says 'Let 100 members contest the presidency’; how democratic he is. This cunning fox knows that with 100 contesting, the votes will be split 100 ways. And who will be the winner? The incumbent, of course. So, let 100 flowers bloom and 99 will wilt in the hot weather.

This lust for power is inherent in all parties, here and in other countries. Once seized, the power for lust begins. All stories of fighting for the people are mostly fairy tales and discerning voters today are not so easily fooled.

They know which are gems and which are the pebbles found aplenty on the shores of this land flowing with milk and honey and black money.