Penang model Ashlyn Ooi Tze Yin, 26, was crowned the winner of the first Miss International Malaysia Semenanjung 2023 pageant, which was held at Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara on July 29.
The 172cm (5’ 8”) tall lass beat 14 other contestants to the crown, and was also awarded the Miss Blossom Queen subsidiary title.
First runner-up was Cassandra Yap Jie Ying, 24, second runner-up Renee Loh Sze Ni, 27 and third runner-up Christina Lee Mun Khei, 28. At fifth place was Rebekah Yap Yen Teng, 22.
All the top 5 winners from Semenanjung (Peninsular Malaysia) will compete together with participants from Sabah and Sarawak for the national Miss International Malaysia 2023 title in Sabah on Sept 10, 2023.
The winner will represent the country at the global level at the 61st Miss International 2023 pageant, which will happen in Tokyo, Japan on Oct 26, 2023.
“I feel incredibly grateful to be Miss International Malaysia Semenanjung. Thank God for the wonderful arrangement,” said Ooi.
“I previously worked as a banker. However, driven by my dream and passion for the beauty industry, I have made the courageous decision to change my career pathway and delve into the world of pageantry and modelling. Now, I am able to dedicate all my time, efforts and commitment to fulfilling the responsibilities of a beauty queen.”
The beauty queen said she faced many difficult challenges in her journey but overcame all the obstacles to become the pageant winner.
“Throughout this pageant journey, I have experienced numerous ups and downs. I fell sick during the entire pageant week until the gala night. Nonetheless, I persevered, collaborating with my body and mind to achieve my goals. In the lead-up to the gala night, I faced challenges in finding gowns and glam teams, but in the end, everything fell into place seamlessly,” said Ooi.
Ooi expressed her gratitude towards the people who supported her journey at the pageant.
“I am deeply touched by those who offered a helping hand when I was in need, including my team, mentor, fans and family. I must express my heartfelt gratitude to my national director Mr Jawad and state director Miss Kimberly for believing in my potential.
“My sincere appreciation also goes to the panel of professional judges who recognized my efforts, as well as all the sponsors who made this journey possible.”
Ooi will be working even harder now to prepare herself well before the national final in Sabah.
“As I move forward, I am eager to bring value to the organization and society. I have exciting plans ahead, and I am gearing up to compete in Sabah. I hope for the best and will strive to make a positive impact. Thank you once again for the support and belief in me.”
Ooi previously participated in pageants and her first pageant was in 2017, where she was named first runner-up in Miss Kedah Tourism. In 2019, before the pandemic hit, she participated in five pageants within a year but did not win a crown.
Although it was tiring and came with failures and disappointments, it didn’t break her; instead, it helped her discovered her inner strength to bounce back after setbacks.
“Winning this pageant has shown that with hard work, perseverance, confidence and passion, you can achieve anything you set your mind to,” she said.
Ooi believes that beauty pageants play a vital role in the betterment of society, bringing improvement of human and social conditions.
“Beauty pageants provide a fantastic platform for young women to explore various opportunities. It’s not just about the competition’s outcome; it’s the entire process that helps us grow into better individuals and opens doors to new opportunities.
“Miss International, in particular, offers a significant platform for beauty queens to use their voices effectively, ensuring that their messages truly make an impact. I am determined to utilize this platform to raise awareness about the preservation of Malaysia’s culture, heritage and environmental issues.
“My ultimate goal is to inspire more youngsters to recognize the greatness that life has to offer and to achieve their dreams through hard work and dedication.”
When asked what made her love modelling, Ooi said nothing is impossible in life when one has the passion and motivation to keep going without letting off.
“I never dared to dream of becoming a model. During a significant period, I struggled to keep fit as my weight once reached 70 kgs. However, I persevered and adopted a healthy balanced diet along with yoga, which enabled me to lose weight and maintain it to this day. Initially, I worked as an usher, but later I began collaborating with photographers, and job opportunities started pouring in afterwards.”
The Penangite enjoys hobbies such as baking, playing piano and practicing yoga.
The event was officiated by Manoharan Periasamy, a senior director in Tourism Malaysia’s international promotion division (Asia and Africa).
Also present were OE Edugroup chairman Datuk Wira Dr. Calvin Khiu, SunStrong Entertainment managing director Jment Lim and Miss International Malaysia national director Jawad Khan.
Miss International Malaysia state director Kimberly Lee stated that they took great pride in providing comprehensive training to participants, encompassing essential hard and soft skills such as women entrepreneurship and fostering a spirit of compassion, empathy and community engagement.
“This endeavour stands as a testament to the notion that women can harmoniously embody both elegance and intellect, exemplifying not only their physical beauty, but also their unwavering dedication and innovative mindset.”
The Miss International Malaysia Semenanjung 2023 is organised by the Miss International Malaysia organisation with SunStrong Entertainment as the title presenter and OE Resort as the venue and hotel sponsor.
MISS INTERNATIONAL MALAYSIA SEMENANJUNG 2023 WINNERS LIST
Champion – Ashlyn Ooi Tze Yin
1st Runner up – Cassandra Yap Jie Ying
2nd Runner up – Renee Loh Sze Ni
3rd Runner up – Christina Lee Mun Khei
4th Runner Up – Rebekah Yap Yen Teng
Subsidiary Titles
Miss Photogenic – Renee Loh Sze Ni
Best Talent – Cassandra Yap Jie Ying
Miss Prestige – Christina Lee Mun Khei
Miss Popular – Karin Beh Yi Wen
Miss Personality – Angel Chen Yi An
Miss Body Beautiful – Cassandra Yap Jie Ying
Miss Blossom Queen – Ashlyn Ooi Tze Yin
Miss BCM – Charlotte Soh Yun Fei
Miss Friendship – Cassandra Yap Jie Ying
Miss Virtuous – Charlotte Soh Yun Fei
Miss Crowning Glory – Cassandra Yap Jie Ying
