Miss Malaysia represents Malaysia in five of the major international pageants.

• Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization.
• Miss World is the oldest surviving major international beauty pageant. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951.
• Miss International is an annual international beauty pageant held since 1960.
• Miss Earth is an annual international beauty pageant promoting environmental awareness.
• Miss Tourism International is an annual international beauty contest run by the D’ Touch International Sdn Bhd Foundation.

The winners of the national pageants are selected at different competitions as each is owned by a different organization. The winner of these national contests holds the title of Miss Universe Malaysia, Miss World Malaysia, Miss International Malaysia, Miss Malaysia Earth and Miss Tourism International Malaysia.

Miss Universe Malaysia [edit]

Miss Universe Malaysia
Formation	1962
Type	Beauty Pageant
Location	Malaysia
Official languages	English
Key people	Andrea Fonseka
Website	Miss Universe Malaysia

History [edit]

Miss Universe Malaysia is a national beauty pageant that began in 1962 and part of the international Miss Universe franchise. Owned and managed by the esteemed Trump Organization in joint venture with NBC Universal. A new National Director will take over the MUMO on 2013 replacing Andrea Fonseka who was daughter of Josephine Lena Wong Jaw Leng and former Miss Malaysia Universe 2004 after three years as the reigning National Director of the Miss Universe Malaysia Organization since 2010. The winner of the pageant will represents Malaysia at the Miss Universe contest. The woman who wears the Miss Universe Malaysia crown is not just a ‘beauty queen’ but a role model for other young women and an ambassador for Malaysia on the international stage. The winners stand amongst the most beautiful and accomplished women from around the world.

At Miss Universe 1970, that took place on July 11, 1970 at the Miami Beach Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida, United States, Josephine Lena Wong Jaw Leng was placed Top 15, Top 10 Best in Swimming Suit and won Expo Queen award. She had made the country proud by its first Malaysian semi-finalist in the Miss Universe pageant.

The current titleholder Carey Ng from Kuala Lumpur, competed in the country's national beauty pageant Miss Universe Malaysia, held on December 10, 2012 at the SP Setia City Convention Centre, where she became the eventual winner of the Miss Universe Malaysia title, gaining the right to represent her nation as the official representative of Malaysia to the 2013 Miss Universe pageant.

Deborah Henry, Miss Universe Malaysia 2011

Miss Universe Malaysia titleholders [edit]

      Semifinalist

Miss World Malaysia [edit]

Miss World Malaysia
Formation	1963
Type	Beauty Pageant
Location	Malaysia
Official languages	English
Key people	Paul Lee
Website	Miss World Malaysia

History [edit]

Soo Wincci, Miss World Malaysia 2008

The Miss World beauty pageant was first introduced as part of the Festival of Britain celebrations. Miss World is the longest running major international beauty pageant. In every participating country, there is an annual national beauty pageant organized under the Miss World Organization. The winner of Miss World Malaysia would then proceed to contest in Miss World. The winner of Miss World would spend a year travelling to represent the Miss World Organization and its causes like Beauty with a Purpose (BWP).

Miss Julia Morley, wife of Miss World creator, Eric Morley took over in the year 2000 as current Chairman and CEO of the Miss World Organization, after Eric Morley died in 1951. BWP was created 30 years ago by Julia Morley so that BWP makes the Miss World crown the symbol for fundraising and charity. The element of charity does not stop at the title holder herself but it is extended to encourage the Miss World contestants and license holders from every country to help aid community projects in their own countries. With regards to the achievements of Miss World Malaysia titleholders after having the limelight during the Miss World pageant, many of them have proceeded to paths of success in other fields of the entertainment industry. As of now, Miss World has been organized for 61 years. It has evolved from a beauty pageant focused on aesthetics and physical beauty to one where charity and inner beauty are the main concerns.

Past Miss World Malaysia who has done this country proud include, Catherine Loh, Shirley Chew, Rahima Orchient Yayah, Arianna Teoh, Deborah Henry and Lina Teoh who were placed 2nd runner up at Miss World 1998. She had made the country proud by achieving its country's highest placement in the Miss World pageant. The current title holder of Miss World Malaysia is Yvonne Lee, who stands 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) represented the country in Miss World 2012 that was held on August 18, 2012 in the Dongsheng Fitness Center Stadium, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia, China.

Miss World Malaysia titleholders [edit]

     Runner-up

      Semifinalist

Miss International Malaysia [edit]

Miss International Malaysia
Formation	1960
Type	Beauty Pageant
Location	Malaysia
Official languages	English

History [edit]

Miss International is an annual international beauty pageant held since 1960. Miss International Malaysia is a national beauty pageant that began in 1960, and it is also the longest running pageant in Malaysia. Most of the delegates were being "Hand Pick" by the franchise holder of Miss International Malaysia. The winner of the pageant will represents Malaysia at the Miss International contest. Helen Tan Hong Lean, Miss International Malaysia 1961 and as well as Linda Lim Hong Eng, Miss International Malaysia 1965 successfully placed Top 15 semifinalists. Achieving its country highest placement in the Miss International pageant.

The current title holder of Miss International Malaysia is Mei Xian Teng. Who stands 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in) represented the country in Miss International 2012 that was held on October 21, 2012 in the Okinawa Prefectural Budokan Arena Building, Naha, Okinawa, Japan.

Miss International Malaysia titleholders [edit]

      Semifinalist

Miss Earth Malaysia [edit]

Miss Earth Malaysia
Formation	2001
Type	Beauty Pageant
Location	Malaysia
Official languages	English

History [edit]

Miss Earth is the third-largest international pageant competition among women from countries around the world, after Miss Universe and Miss World. The delegates and winners give meaning and relevance to this beauty competition by promoting worthwhile environmental causes and getting actively involved in caring for the preservation of Mother Earth. This is a true celebration of a woman’s natural beauty, poise and personality. In fact, Miss Earth incorporates a special ‘Natural Beauty’ round where a women’s natural beauty is judged sans make-up or makeover. A tribute to the natural beauty that is a reflection of the beauty within. This pageant organized for the first time aims to appreciate what a women always wants – to be a natural beauty. Unblemished, immaculate and refreshingly natural. Miss Earth Malaysia delegates are selected through a beauty contest which each state in Malaysia will send their top three winners from the state level. All the top 3 winners will compete at the national level to be crowned as Miss Malaysia Earth and represent Malaysia at Miss Earth Pageant.

The current title holder of Miss Malaysia Earth is Deviyah Daranee. She represented the country in Miss Earth 2012 that take place on November 24, 2012 at the Versailles in Alabang, Manila, Philippines and won Best In Talent Competition Award ( Group 3 ) and 3rd place of Best In National Costume Competition Award. Although she was a heavy favorite by pageants' blogs and websites, she was not placed in the Top 16 by the judges.

Miss Earth Malaysia titleholders [edit]

Miss Malaysia Tourism [edit]

Miss Malaysia Tourism
Formation	1994
Type	Beauty Pageant
Location	Malaysia
Official languages	English
Key people	Datuk Danny Ooi H.E
Website	Miss Malaysia Tourism

History [edit]

Miss Malaysia Tourism is a national beauty pageant organized by D' Touch International Sdn Bhd. The winner of the pageant represents Malaysia at the Miss Tourism International contest. Datuk Danny Ooi, President and Franchise Owner of Miss Malaysia Tourism, has come a long way, organizing more than 35 National Miss Malaysia Grand Finals and 18 International Pageant Finals. The Miss Malaysia Tourism Pageant has not only provided an opportunity for the finalists to achieve a career advancement in the commercial field, but also help the Tourism Ministry in the promotion of local tourism as well as promoting Malaysia to the world when the Winner represents the country at an International World Final. This marked the beginning of Malaysia’s very homegrown titles stamping their mark globally, and becoming much sought-after pageants. The contest also serves as a platform to share and exchange cultural knowledge and create a new friendship bond among contestants coming from various states.

The first Miss Malaysia Tourism was crowned in 1993 and ever since then, Datuk Danny Ooi has successfully organized this prestige pageant adding tremendous value and significance to the promotion of local tourism. Aileen Gabriella Robinson represented the country in Miss Tourism International 2011 that was held on December 31, 2011 in Kuala Lumpur and successfuly won the Miss Tourism International 2011 title. She was crowned by Miss Tourism International 2010, Nathalie Den Dekker. The current Miss Malaysia Tourism 2012, Yong Wan Jun participated in the Miss Tourism International pageant in Kuala Lumpur on December 31, 2012 and placed 4th runner up.

Miss Malaysia Tourism titleholders [edit]

      Winner

     Runner-up

      Semifinalist

Fatwa ruling [edit]

In Malaysia, female Muslims were denied participation in beauty pageants following the issue of a fatwa in 1995 by the Mufti of Selangor.^[1] The issue came to a nasty twist in July €“September 1997 when three Malay participants joined the Miss Malaysian petite contest, only to be arrested by the authorities. In the ensuing public outcry and debate that followed, the effectiveness of the fatwa was shown given the influence of the Selangor's Mufti over the nation's sharia law.^[2] The fatwa resonated with the ideology that Muslim women should cover up private parts of their body, or Aurat of which the beauty pageants' practices ran contrary to €“even though such religious enactments also apply to male pageants.

Nevertheless, a public outcry ensued, as members of the public questioned the way the religious authorities handled the matter as well as the abrupt ruling which came about €“Muslim women in the past had participated in beauty pageants without much protest amongst the religious authorities.^[3] This invoked the concerns of Mahathir's who had raised objections to the way the religious authorities had implemented and enforced the law €“and questions including distinctions on religious laws and personal freedom were raised.^[4] Nevertheless, the fatwa ruling has since been very effective; Muslim women have since then been deterred from joining any beauty pageants.^[5] Malaysian beauty pageants, in compliance with the law, similarly denied Muslim individuals from participating.^[6] However, Muslim women may still join smaller scale beauty pageant contests such as Dewi Remaja, Miss Intercontinental and Miss Tourism, provided that they don't display publicly wearing swimsuits.

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Miss Universe Malaysia
• Miss World Malaysia
• Miss Malaysia Tourism

Malaysia portal