Myanmar: Suu Kyi Beats Lady Gaga in Time Magazine Poll · Global Voices
Juan Cebu

Aung San Suu Kyi, photo by Htoo Tay Zar, taken from Wikipedia
Aung San Suu Kyi was voted as the Time Magazine's most influential person of the decade on 17 April, 2013. She won against Lady Gaga by 61 percent of the total votes. It came as a proud moment for Myanmar people who untiringly voted for her to show their utmost support for ‘The Lady.’ It is also regarded as a New Year present for Aung San Suu Kyi from her people as April 16 is the first day in the Myanmar calender.
Following her victory after the voting closed, many people shared their joy and enthusiasm on Facebook. Here are some of the posts:
Helen Ayekyaw wrote that the ‘gift’ is fruit of unity in the country:
your children has given a present for Mom, which is a fruit of our unity. Wish you are happy.
Taw Win Daund complimented the voters:
Say it who is the winner and say it loud….!!!.. :)
Give yourselves a big hand coz u worth it..
Hmuu Zaw also congratulated her and wrote about the significance of the poll victory:
Daw Suu is an icon of Myanmar. Our president is also a symbol of Myanmar's reformation. In any case, we have voted to present our country; our people's pride can be seen here. Lady Gaga's fans are also mobilizing people to vote for her in various fan pages. There is a stark difference in number of followers, internet users and the internet speed. I don't want to say anything about TIME's matching two people of different areas (I mean an Icon and a Pop-star; it would be better if she is matched with Obama or Hilary Clinton). There might be different opinions on the style of voting. But we can see the TIME's intention of allowing us to vote multiple times. Some people might think this is not necessary but this means a lot to us who recently have been able to look outside of a closed-society. Lady Gaga's fans and people from TIME magazine might be surprised (if they check IP, they will know who are voting). For Myanmar people who are living here or abroad, we have come to a cross-point. The word Myanmar that had been neglected always, now comes into recognition. We have started a new year with good news.
He also mentioned some of the other challenges facing Myanmar:
I fully hope that in the future we will be united as well for nation, peace, development and putting Myanmar in the right place. TIME's voting has finished but we still have Nation Building, and State Building has been only 2 years old. As the President said we have to walk ahead taking lessons and challenges from the past years.
Here are also some of the voters’ sentiments the day and night before the match was closed
Photo of a family voting for Aung San Suu Kyi, shared by Taw Win Daund
Freedom News Group was regularly updating the voting results:
Lady Gaga 46% and Aung San Suu Kyi 54%. Only two hours left to vote for Aung San Suu Kyi
Demo Fatty wrote in behalf of other Burmese who can't access the internet:
We, 2 million people are voting also on behalf of 40 million people who also wanted to vote for Daw Suu but do not have internet. So what? Let's vote, everybody!
Michael Z Chu also expressed his concern:
Lady Gaga vs our Beloved Leader Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is getting close plz everyone vote vote vote n tell all ur friends n family also
Photo of a child voting for Aung San Suu Kyi, shared by Zaw Min Tun
One of the voters, Tin Ko Ko Oo wrote:
Don't give up! respect those who voted all night long.
Kaung Thant asserts that Suu Kyi will remain a beloved figure even if she loses in the poll:
Whatever the result will be, Mother Suu is always going to be in the heart of her people.