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

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

Named before them were 26-year-old Regina Hahn as second runner-up and 20-year-old Richell Agalot as first runner-up.

The coronation was held at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, with the show starting late on Saturday. It was aired live over GMA channels nationwide with Paolo Bediones and Iza Calzado as hosts.

The winners were crowned by their respective predecessors – Patricia Fernandez (Bb. Pilipinas-International), Jennifer Barrientos (Bb. Pilipina- Universe), and Danielle Castaño (Bb. Pilipinas 2008).

Castaño replaced Janina San Miguel who resigned late last year after the death of her grandfather.

Winners’ backgrounds

Gersbach – who did not win any other award – was born in Germany, but her mother hails from the Bicol Region, where Gersbach manages the family restaurant in Albay. She is after all a graduate of the University of Asia and the Pacific with a degree in Management.

Manalo won several other awards – 0the Best in Swimsuit award, after which she also got a sponsor’s honor, the Manila Bulletin Readers’ Choice Award. Manalo, a 22-year-old native of Manila, is an Advertising graduate of the Assumption College who now works as a flight attendant.

Earlier in the night, Umali also won the Best in Long Gown and Miss Photogenic plum. Umali, a native of Batangas City, took up Tourism at the College of Saint Benilde. She plans to be a flight attendant and dreams of putting up her own restaurant.

Runners-up

Shortly before Umali’s award, Angalot was named as Miss Talent, for a dance that she performed a week earlier on Talent Night on Saturday. She was also won the awards for Miss Natasha Beauty and Araneta Center Shoppers’ Choice – both coming from pageant sponsors.

Angalot, a native of Tagbilaran City, graduated with a Tourism degree from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. Under the stage name Rich Asuncion, she is one of the talents of GMA Network.

Hahn, a native of Manila and Computer Science graduate from the Ateneo de Manila University, works as an information consultant for an international company.

Candidate No. 4 Gizelle Jasmin Rivamonte was named as Miss Friendship, which carried the distinction of having been voted by the other candidates themselves. Rivamonte, a 23-year-old native of Quezon City, is a registered nurse working at the Oncology Unit of the Veterans Memorial Medical Center. She graduated from the Far Easten University.

There were 24 semifinalists, but Candidate No. 13, Sandra Inez Seifert, was disqualified a week before for having done a sexy pictorial that was published in a men’s magazine.

Gersbach, Manalo, Umali top Bb. Pilipinas Pageant

Speaking on her mobile on her way home from Townsville yesterday Kendall was still in shock.

“I couldn’t believe it, I am so excited – it has been a big weekend,” she said.

Kendall’s weekend started on Friday night when she took part in the finals in the Ralph Australian Swimwear Model of the Year competition at Doors, where she came third.

She will go to Sydney on April 22-27 for the national finals.

“I didn’t get home until 3.30am that morning and was in the car by 5.30am.

“I only got six hours sleep all weekend,” Kendall joked.

She said the competition was an awesome experience and was overwhelmed by the other 18 contestants.

“Everyone imagines or dreams of getting picked as a finalist but you never think it will happen to you.

“There were so many beautiful girls there.”

Kendall, 21 was born in Rockhampton and has recently moved to Mackay and works for Ergon Energy as a customer connection support officer.

Miss Universe Australia talent scout Henry Petersen said Kendall would represent Mackay and Queensland well at the national finals.

“Kendall has the best personality and is so down to earth she has a chance and she is ready to follow the road to Miss Universe,” he said.

At the preliminaries Kendall modelled in three categories; day, swim and evening wear. She was named best-dressed swimwear model.

She said she was nervous about being interviewed in front of a 100-strong crowd.

“Now that I know what is expected of me, I don’t think I will be as nervous come April.

“I have never seen my dad so excited as when my name was announced,” she said.

Kendall makes Miss Universe finals

Sarah Beaufoy, 24, has made it through to the finals of Miss Universe GB alongside 39 rivals who all want to represent the country on the world stage.

The fashion and textiles student graduated from Bath Spa University last year and entered the competition along with 500 other hopefuls.

After the regional heats in Cardiff, she is now through to the final 40 and is looking for local support to help with her charity fundraising.

Sponsored by wedding shoe makers Rainbow Club, Sarah is trying to raise £1,000 for the Joshua Foundation – which offers holidays and experiences for children with terminal cancer – by Monday, April 20.

Sarah has set up an auction on Ebay for Thursday, March 26, with items including lessons from a racing driver, £700 of shoes for a wedding – dyed to your choice of colour, a spin on the ice with the UK Olympic bobsleigh team and many other amazing opportunities.

When not working as a model, Sarah enjoys painting and designing, having previously won sponsorship from the Neroche Decorative and Fine Arts Society.

If you have something to donate to the charity auction, e-mail sarahscharityauction@hotmail.com and to vote for Sarah in Miss Universe GB click the link below

Miss Universe finalist from South Petherton