Aung San Suu Kyi's hand-knitted sweater auctions for $59,418

YANGON (AP) - A hand-knit woolen sweater made by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has sold at an auction in Myanmar for US$49,000 (S$59,418).

A Myanmar-based radio station won a bidding war for the sweater during an auction on Thursday night held by Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party. The bidding started at US$6,000.

The opposition leader knitted the sweater - a red, green and blue V-neck - almost 30 years ago when she was living in England and raising her two children, said her close aide Ko Ni,

"She made it when she was busy working, studying and taking care of her children," the aide said on Friday. "She wants to send the message that people should not stay idle but be diligent."