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
SINCE last year, the Miss Malaysia Universe franchise has been held by Beyond Entity with Syeba Yip as event director and Heah Sieu Lay as chairman. Known more for his financial dealings than beauty queen wheelings, Heah is convinced a Miss Malaysia will bring home the Miss Universe crown or at least be in the top five, a feat he sees as possible.
“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.
Food lovers will have a chance to whet their appetites at the eighth edition of the FHC Beijing 2009, the country’s only international food and hospitality trade event.
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.
For international business travelers, June is the best time to visit Taiwan and attend the Taste of Taiwan Cuisine, a month-long festival that presents this island’s diverse culinary flavors, with more than 200 restaurants providing discounts on their food delicacies throughout the month.
"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."
SUKAINA al-Zayer is an unlikely beauty queen hopeful. She covers her face and body in black robes and an Islamic veil, so no one can tell what she looks like. She also admits she’s a little on the plump side.
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.
“And the winner of Miss Universe New Zealand is Miss Southern First National, Katie Taylor.”
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.
The media blasted model Stephanie Naumoska after the Miss Universe Australia contestant displayed her skeletal frame during the competition — and now, she’s blasting back at her haters.
“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.”
