Every year, for over a decade, Malaysiakini has named a top newsmaker as we bring the curtain down on the year.

A newsmaker is defined as “someone whose actions make news headlines, who effects the course of public discourse and creates an impact in Malaysian politics, for better or worse”.

Malaysiakini has nominated 12 candidates for the newsmaker of 2013 award. A total of 1,450 participated in the seven-day poll, opened only to paying subscribers of the news portal.

They voted by indicating their preference for each of the nominees - one vote being the lowest and 10 the highest.

This year, Malaysiakini readers paid tribute to perhaps the most controversial woman in Malaysia.

The award goes to...

And the newsmaker of 2013 is Rosmah Mansor , wife of Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Controversies have dogged Rosmah over the years. But what possibly helped her win this year’s award - she was no 7 last year - was perhaps her overseas trip using the government-funded private jet.

Rosmah is the second woman to have won the award outright, which was first given out in 2001. Ambiga Sreenevasan won it last year, while Rafidah Aziz shared the award with Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2005.

Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi , who has a penchant to ‘shoot first’ with his mouth, finished a close second this year.

Interestingly, another controversial entity, the Election Commission , made it to No 3 on the list.

At the other end of the list, it appears that elder brother P Uthayakumar, who is currently serving a jail sentence for sedition, is more popular between the Hindraf duo.

He edged out his younger brother, deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P Waythamoorthy, who emerged last among the candidates.

Here’s the full list:

1. Rosmah Mansor

9,552 points

2. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

9,116

3. Election Commission

8,752

4. Shahrizat A Jalil

7,842

5. Khalid Ibrahim

7,721

6. Mohamad ‘Mat’ Sabu

7,380

7. N Surendran

7,325

8. Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor

6,984

9. Dr Mahathir Mohamad

6,678

10. P Uthayakumar

5,750

11. Mukhriz Mahathir

5,393

12. P Waythamoorthy

4,640

Previous newsmakers

2012 - Ambiga Sreenevasan

2011 - Bersih supporters

2010 - Ibrahim Ali

2009 - Teoh Beng Hock

2008 - YOU

2007 - VK Lingam

2006 - Mahathir Mohamad

2005 - Joint award - Rafidah Aziz and Mahathir Mohamad

2004 - S Samy Vellu

2003 - Husam Musa

2002 - Zainuddin Maidin

2001 - Rais Yatim

Yesterday: Top 10 news of 2013