JoanneBelle Ng (C), winner of Miss Malaysia 2009, second placed Cassandra Patrick (L) and third placed Claudia Tania Sibert pose for photos, in Kuala Lumpur, capital of Malaysia, May 30, 2009. Twenty-one-year old JoanneBelle Ng will represent Malaysia at the upcoming Miss Universe 2009 pageant to be held in the Bahamas on August 23.

JoanneBelle Ng, Miss Malaysia 2009

“This year’s candidates are top class and include four working in the banking industry and high finance. All speak English unlike in previous pageants when some contestants needed interpreters which is untenable at international level.” he says.

Both Heah and Yip run MIFA (Malaysian International Fashion Alliance) and are injecting new ideas to raise the local standard.

Among the initiatives is the newly- established Miss Malaysia Universe Hall of Fame comprising former winners who have gone on to make a name.

“They embody the essence of beauty and personal success and have continued to be in the limelight through their work,” Heah said.

“Include in this year’s Hall of Fame are Nancie Foo, Maggie Loo, Elaine Daly, Datuk Yasmin Yusuf, Anna Lin and the mother and daughter winners Datin Josephine Fonseka and Andre Fonseka who is famous in Singapore.”

“The past winners will mentor the 18 finalists and give invaluable tips based on their experiences. Maggie Loo, for instance, has groomed more than half a dozen Miss Malaysias while Nancie Foo went on to be an actress and now producer. Datuk Yasmin Yusuf was a singer, MC, agency owner and recording artiste and Elaine Daly graduated in law.”

They will also be involved in fund- raising and charity work in future events organised by Beyond Entity.

To add glamour and prestige, Miss Universe 2005 and Misss Canada Natalie Glebova will grace the finals on May 30 at Royale Chulan.

Entertainment will be provided by the Joanne Kam and Peter Choo Dancers.

Sponsors include Elegance Club as official jeweller, Adidas for sportswear, Tangs for eveningwear, Alfo, Adonis Wellness and Royale Chulan.

Miss Malaysia Universe candidates swing into action

The event, to be held from June 9 to 11, is expected to feature niche cuisine and products from over a dozen countries and will capitalize on the growing demand for international cuisine in China.

FHC Beijing 2009 is expected to attract members of Beijing and North China hotels, restaurants, bars, supermarkets, importers, distributors, retailers and traders. It will also provide 7,000-plus attendees a chance to rub shoulders with 120 global exhibitors selling imported food, beverages and other related products.

"(FHC Beijing 2009) will not only bring in international companies, but also offer a variety of products to cater to the growing demand for imported food," said Justin Pau, project manager, FHC Beijing 2009. "With national pavilions confirmed from Argentina, Greece, Italy, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka and the US, as well as local companies selling imported foods, it will offer trade visitors the best business opportunity this year."

China is set to become the world’s largest importer of food by 2018 and the three-day event will see the presence of nearly every major food-producing nation, said Pau.

"The market here is huge," he said. "The consumption of imported foods ranging from commodities products like meat, flour, cheese, and finished products like jams, chocolates, and convenience foods like high-energy snacks and cereals, are all growing every year. In addition, demand for wine is also growing exponentially."

The exhibition will not only feature international products already in China, but also showcase several new ones, like Spanish ham, Korean dairy and Argentinan wines.

Another attraction will be the exhibit’s first-ever Green Pavilion, which will focus on Green Food Standards products, produced according to "green" Chinese government regulated practices. Essentially, a notch below organic foods, these Green Food Standard products, mainly vegetables, are roughly 20 to 25 percent more expensive than normal ones and approximately 60 to 75 percent less costlier than organic ones.

The "green" element was added to the show this year due to the increasing consumption of green products by hospitality and retail buyers, said Pau.

"They are more aware of this standard as their customers look for this apart from the vast quality difference," he said.

Other highlights include the 5th annual International Culinary Arts Competition, which will give the city’s chefs, mostly local western food chefs, the opportunity to compete against one another using a variety of different techniques and international ingredients.

An American-led seminar on food safety will also be part of the exhibition, that

FHC expo to showcase best of global cuisine

"Taiwan is the kingdom of fine food," said Chao Yung-chuan, president and chief executive officer of Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), at yesterday’s press conference to launch the festival. "This is where you can find almost any kind of cuisine — Taiwanese, Chinese, Japanese, western-style. We launched the festival to let more international friends and local people enjoy the variety of Taiwan cuisine."

TAITRA is the main organizer of the Taste of Taiwan Cuisine 2009, which runs from June 1 to June 30. The first festival was held in 2006.

The "Taiwan Gourmet Passport," a pocket-sized booklet, features information on the 220 participating restaurants that are well experienced in catering to international guests.

"The participating hotels and restaurants will offer exclusive discounts for those who visit the restaurants with the 偲aiwan Gourmet Passport,’" he said. "Restaurants will provide free drinks or desserts with every meal." The "Taiwan Gourmet Passport" is available at venues frequently visited by international business travelers, such as the Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall, Nangang Exhibition Hall, and the Tourism Bureau’s Tourist Service Center at Taoyuan International Airport.

June in Taipei is usually the busiest show period with more than 40,000 foreign visitors at shows like COMPUTEX Taipei, DISPLAY Taiwan, Photonics Festival and FOOD Taipei. This is one reason why TAITRA decided to hold the Taste of Taiwan Cuisine this month.

With this booklet in hand, local and international visitors can savor the most genuine Taiwanese cuisines at affordable prices, said Chao.

Food festival to showcase diversity of Taiwan cuisine

But at Saudi Arabia’s only beauty pageant, the judges don’t care about a perfect figure or face. What they’re looking for in the quest for ‘Miss Beautiful Morals’ is the contestant who shows the most devotion and respect for her parents.

‘The idea of the pageant is to measure the contestants’ commitment to Islamic morals… It’s an alternative to the calls for decadence in the other beauty contests that only take into account a woman’s body and looks,’ said pageant founder Khadra al-Mubarak.

‘The winner won’t necessarily be pretty,’ she added. ‘We care about the beauty of the soul and the morals.’

So after the pageant opens on Saturday, the nearly 200 contestants will spend the next 10 weeks attending classes and being quizzed on themes including ‘Discovering your inner strength’, ‘The making of leaders’ and ‘Mom, paradise is at your feet’ – a saying attributed to Islam’s Prophet Muhammad to underline that respect for parents is among the faith’s most important tenets.

Pageant hopefuls will also spend a day at a country house with their mothers, where they will be observed by female judges and graded on how they interact with their mothers, Ms al-Mubarak said.

Since the pageant is not televised and no men are involved, contestants can take off the veils and black figure-hiding abayas they always wear in public.

Now in its second year, the number of pageant contestants has nearly tripled from the 75 women who participated in 2008.

The pageant is open to women between 15 and 25. The winner and two runners up will be announced in July, with the queen taking home US$2,600 and other prizes. The runners up get US$1,300 each.

Miss Beautiful Morals

With those incongruous words an Aucklander competing in her fourth beauty pageant was declared a winner for the first time.

The annual orgy of bikinis, frocks and hairspray is not what it used to be. Once the pageant topped the television ratings and drew huge live audiences. Today it continues only because of the dedication of a small band of enthusiasts and the contestants themselves.

To enter they have to find a sponsor willing to put $3000 toward the cost of staging the pageant, hence Miss Southern First National and Miss Ultimate Transport Solutions as well as Miss Tuscany Road (a Putaruru fashion store).

On Saturday night, in what was almost a final act of desperation, contest organiser Val Lott staged the pageant in what Horowhenua Mayor Brendon Duffy calls the “real New Zealand” in the hope that Levin’s “small town charm” would revive interest in the show.

The venue was the Horowhenua Events Centre. Plastic tables and chairs were laid out on top of a basketball court. Blue and white balloons floated from the centre of each table. The court markings were still visible beneath.

In the contest’s heyday, spectators used to queue around the block to witness the finale to a six-week tour of the country. In Levin, the only thing that smacked remotely of a queue was the crush created by smokers heading for the dimly lit car park during the costume changes.

But what the event lacked in numbers it made up for in enthusiasm, air kisses and high-heels and that was just among the audience of mothers, sisters, aunts, proud boyfriends and bashful dads. Levin’s basketball courts may never be the same again.

The contest began with the bikini parade. Fifteen young women, skins glowing a uniform gold, self-consciously strode along the catwalk, posed in front of the five judges, pirouetted and stalked off stage. The judges Mr Duffy and four others scribbled earnestly; the boyfriends whistled and cheered.

Next came dresses and sparkly gowns more whistles and cheers. Then there was one final hurdle for the five finalists to clear the question.

Local favourite Priyani Puketapu, 18, whose every appearance was greeted with roars of approval, was asked her opinion of Stephanie Naumoska a painfully thin Miss Australia contestant whose state has sparked worldwide controversy.

Because of the pressure on women to look thin it was easy for them to develop eating disorders, said Miss Horowhenua, who aspires to become a lawyer and work with international human rights organisations. “Oh come on,” cried an angry voice, presumably one of the out-of-towners in the audience of about 400. More angry muttering followed. It was the only hint of controversy.

Miss Taylor, 22, a construction project manager whose ambition is to present a TV series on the importance of sustainable “green” housing and buildings, was asked what significance she attached to Anzac Day. Strangely it was just the question she had been hoping for, she revealed. She had attended that morning’s Anzac service and been moved to tears thinking of her grandfather’s war service. The audience applauded.

Minutes later she was moved again when she was named as New Zealand’s representative to the Miss Universe pageant in the Bahamas later this year. Miss Horowhenua was first runner-up.

And Ms Lott thinks she’s found a formula that will enable the pageant to continue.

“We’ve been invited to come back,” she said. “We accept graciously.”

Meet Miss Universe New Zealand

“I’ve never cried more in my entire life,” Naumoska said on “Good Morning America” today of her global weight controversy.

Stephanie stressed to Diane Sawyer that she’s never suffered from any type of eating disorder. “There are people out there who are naturally skinny, and naturally slim like myself. I don’t think it’s fair that I was judged by the whole entire world based on a photo and my appearance.”

“I’ve never been anorexic or bulimic, I’ve never been malnourished or underfed,” Stephanie added. “I live a healthy, active lifestyle.”

Aussie Beauty Queen: ‘I’ve Never Been Anorexic’

Contestants from all 50 states and the District of Columbia competed in the live pageant televised from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

Contestants were judged by their performance in swimsuit and evening gown modeling contests and their responses to a question asked onstage; unlike the rival Miss America pageant, Miss USA contestants do not perform a talent.

The top 15 contestants worked the stage in white string bikinis designed by pop star Jessica Simpson’s swimwear line. Rocker Kevin Rudolf performed his song “Let it Rock,” followed by The Veronicas, who performed their single “Untouched” as the top 10 beauties showed off their choice of glittering evening gowns.

Miss Dalton’s title comes with a year’s use of a New York apartment, a public relations team, a two-year scholarship at the New York Film Academy and an undisclosed salary.

She also will go to the Bahamas in August to compete in the Miss Universe pageant, where American beauties haven’t been lucky in recent years. Both Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart and her predecessor, Rachel Smith, fell on stage during the evening gown competition, becoming accidental YouTube stars.

Asked about the tumble during the show, Miss Stewart said it was a lesson in bouncing back from defeat.

“I think it was a true test of my character,” said the 27-year-old Texan, who worked to raise awareness for breast cancer as she traveled the globe promoting the beauty contest.

The contest, which is owned by NBC and reality TV mogul Donald Trump, was hosted by “Access Hollywood” co-anchor Billy Bush and Nadine Velazquez of the NBC sitcom “My Name is Earl.” This year’s judges included “Saturday Night Live” cast member Kenan Thompson, “Dancing with the Stars” winner Kelly Monaco and gossip blogger Perez Hilton.

Kristen Dalton named Miss USA 2009

Carrie Prejean defended her views Tuesday on NBC’s “Today” show, telling host Matt Lauer that she spoke from the heart during Sunday’s pageant when she said that “marriage should be between a man and a woman.”

The beauty queen’s response to a question from openly gay pageant judge and celebrity blogger Perez Hilton has received more attention than the winner, Miss North Carolina Kristen Dalton. During the pageant, Hilton asked Prejean if every state should follow Vermont in legalizing same sex marriage.

“I think it’s great that Americans are able to choose one or the other,” Prejean responded. “But in my country, and in my family, I think that I believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that’s how I was raised.”

Hilton, who also appeared on the “Today” show Tuesday, said his question was relevant and that Prejean should have “left her politics and her religion out because Miss USA represents all Americans.”

Prejean, who was named first runner-up at the pageant, told Lauer that she knew “at that moment after I’d answered the question, I knew that I was not going to win because of my answer.” Still, she stands by her statements.

“I don’t take back what I said,” she told Lauer, adding that she “had spoken from my heart, from my beliefs and for my God.”

“It’s not about being politically correct,” she said. “For me, it’s about being biblically correct.”

Hilton, Miss California take sides on `Today

Almost all motor combustion models have been featured in the show — ranging from benzene to steam, with many exotic and supercars stealing the spotlights throughout the 20th century. Prototypes, new equipment, technical breakthroughs, and international partnerships as well as political and social debates are all landmarks of this international exhibition. The show is regarded as the most level playing field for carmakers with Switzerland lacking an auto industry.

The 2009 Geneva Motor Show will be held from 5–15 March 2009. The following vehicles are expected to be introduced:

Production car introductions

• 2009 Alpina B6 GT3 racecar
• 2009 Alpina B7
• 2009 Artega GT Roadster
• 2009 Aston Martin DBS Volante
• Aston Martin One-77
• 2010 Audi A4 Allroad
• 2010 Audi TT RS
• Bentley Continental Supersports
• Brabus G V12 S Biturbo
• 2010 Cadillac SRX (European debut)
• 2010 Chevrolet Spark
• Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano Handling GT Evoluzione package
• Ferrari 599XX
• 2009 Fiat 500C
• Ford Focus RS (final production version)
• Ford Ranger (European debut)
• Hyundai i20 3-door hatchback
• Lamborghini Murcielago LP670-4 SV
• 2010 Lotus Exige S
• 2010 Mazdaspeed 3
• 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe
• 2009 Mini Cooper S Convertible JCW
• 2011 Opel Ampera
• 2010 Porsche 911 GT3
• 2009 Renault Clio
• 2010 Renault Mégane Sport Tourer
• 2009 Renault Scénic / Grand Scénic
• 2010 Saab 9-3X
• Tata Indica EV
• Tata Nano
• 2010 Toyota Verso
• 2010 Volkswagen Polo
• 2010 Volvo S80
• 2009 Wiesmann MF4-S

Concept car introductions

• 2009 Alfa Romeo Mito GTA (prototype/concept)
• Citroën DS Inside
• Dacia Duster
• Ford iosis MAX
• Infiniti Essence
• Nissan Qazana concept
• Rinspeed E2
• Rolls Royce 200EX

Links

• Official website