30 qualify for Miss Borneo Beautiful Pageant 2009 semis
By Margaret Apau

KUCHING: Despite a bumpy start, the renamed Miss Borneo Beautiful Pageant 2009 hit the ground running yesterday when 89 local beauties took part in the pageant’s preliminary round.

BORNEAN BEAUTIES: The thirty semi-finalists of Miss Borneo Beautiful 2009.

Open to all Malaysians of Sarawak and Sabah ethnic parentage aged between 17 and 24 years, the pageant’s grand final will be held on Nov 30 at Riverside Majestic Hotel.

Participants from as far as Miri, Bintulu and Lawas flew in to take part in the much-anticipated pageant, seeing it as a chance to transform themselves for the better.

In the preliminary round, the contenders took to the stage, introducing themselves to fellow contestants before judges narrowed the numbers down to 30 semi-finalists.

According to the organiser, Alaric Soh, the event is more than just a beauty contest.

Of the semi-finalists, he sees the potential for some remarkable transformations.

“Nobody will be able to recognise them on the night of the final after we’ve groomed and transformed them,” he said confidently, emphasising that his focus would be on grooming the contestants to their full-potential.

“We will give the finalists a great opportunity to learn important life skills like personal grooming, poise and positive self-esteem. They will also learn professional catwalk, which will be a great boon to those pursuing modeling.”

Today, the semi-finalists will be given further training and assessed on their poise on the catwalk, in interviews and presentation skills before being narrowed down to a further 15 to 18 finalists who will go to the final.

The judges were The Borneo Post’s regional chief editor M Rajah, Miss Cheongsam 1994 Anna Sze, Miss Model 2005 Shirley Su with a special guest, and Miss Fair and Lovely 2009 winner Janet Bennet attending.

The semi-finalists are Rafidah Hamdan, Wibiamila Holiud, Nur Faezi Dahlan, Kho Siew Ching, Pamela Pang, Juliana Chong, Savina Fan, Aliceson Renix, Cynthia John, Darcia Marselynna, Claudia Nera Willis, Jennifer Denis, Durin Edward Jalani, Anna Bella Wee Siew Mui, Donarie Jurinia Dicky, Marshella, Livonia, Norzarina Jaron, Rajinder Kaur Samra, Angela Agatha Jerome, Cornellia Johnek, Julie Dawati, Rita Benny Stephen, Nor-Shaladah Ayug, Susan Uyo, Ordella Edwin, Priscilla Paya Jau, Anglia Hendry, Lie See Luan and Tracy Deatrice Alida.

Besides the main title, Miss Borneo Beautiful, contestants will have the chance to win the following subsidiary titles: Miss Talent, Miss Friendship, Miss Photogenic, Miss Goodwill and Miss Personality.

While every finalist will receive RM200, the winner and four runners-up to Miss Borneo Beautiful will receive cash prizes totaling RM9,300. In addition, the winner, first and second runners-up will also have the opportunity to take a one-year part-time or full-time course leading to the Executive Diploma in Hospitality & Tourism at UCSI University Sarawak Campus.

The winner’s university fees worth RM11,000 will be paid in full, the first runner-up will receive a 50 per cent discount worth RM5,500, and the second runner-up will receive a 30 per cent discount worth RM3,300.