During the past four years, Myanmar has opened up, revealing the country's mammoth problems and challenges, especially those related to race and religion.

"It is time for change, vote National League for Democracy for genuine change," has been the opposition's key message. Repeated calls for more political reforms - along with Aung San Suu Kyi's international stature as a Nobel laureate - have miraculously connected her to the voters, especially the young voters, who have been mesmerized by her political brinkmanship.

The ruling Union Solidarity Development Party has been in power for five years and now asks for a new mandate. In his official speech on the election widely publicized in the government-run newspapers, President Thein Sein said the country needed him to continue the ongoing reforms, including building up "a new political system and new political culture". He admitted the government had encountered "many difficulties", and that it had to find answers to these challenges; he even evoked the importance of people-centered policies and approaches in service and other areas as new challenges.