I went for the auditions where I first met the pageant organizer, Miss Malaysia Universe 1990, Datin Anna Lim. She’s the type of lady who has a smile that can light up an entire room, a real beauty queen who radiates happiness and warmth wherever she goes. I was told that as a Muslim participant, I would not wear a bikini in the swimsuit round and instead be required to wear something more modest- either a swimsuit with pants or sports attire. I was also informed there that the international grand finals would be held in our Muslim neighbouring country, Indonesia.
At the auditions, I was given an autobiography book written by Datin Anna. In it were amazing tales of her life’s adventure. It seems that we were both from Ipoh! I smiled when I flipped through the pages of photographs of her with orphaned children, cancer patients, Miss Universes’s from other nations… I was even more impressed to learn that after the competition, she studied in London and became a stock broker! In fact, she also started her own interior designing firm. A true example of beauty with brains! That night I dreamed of following in her footsteps.
The next day, I received a call informing me that I had made it into the Top 20 Finalists! I was estatic and overjoyed. A few days later I joined the other girls for a photoshoot and press launch.
Just as news that 4 Muslim girls were participants had made headlines, however, it was published that a ‘fatwa’ existed banning Muslim women in Malaysia from participating in beauty pageants. Wawa, Miera, Kathrina and I were disqualified!
Today I am saddened, disappointed and outraged that in 2013 the country’s largest ethnic race cannot participate in Miss Malaysia.
The reason why the ‘fatwa’ was created in 1996 no longer exists. Competition rules allow Muslim girls to dress modestly. Even if not, shouldn’t religion be a personal choice? The first Muslim girl won Miss World USA in 2010, and in UK similarly many years ago.
Miss world pageant isn’t about parading women to entice lust in men but to show the elegance and inner beauty of a woman since the organizations aim to help others through charities.
Why prevent us from making the country proud? If wearing tight attire is such a sin, why not ban swimming and gymnastics too?
As I type the last lines to this note, I just received a message from Datin Anna Lim who has made so much effort and braved to fight for our rights:
Please to inform you Dato’ Anna Lim has been trying to arrange for a meeting with Datuk Wan Zahidi ‘why muslim girls are illegal and sinful to participate in beauty pageants’? She wants to know which part of the Quran states that and hope to have a favourable explaination to this matter. But unfortunately her request on the meeting to discuss this matter has not be granted and no further explaination was made.
Please help our fight for justice, Malaysia. We’re standing up against discrimination as this outdated ‘fatwa’ needs to be ammended.
Post time 16-10-2017 10:39 AM
