If Talent Corp is looking for a sure-way to reverse the brain-drain, it could do worse than making brainy seem fun again.
The search for Malaysia’s very own GT Queen at the finals of the Super GT Malaysia Queen Pageant 2011 saw university students sweeping the top six spots in the keenly contested competition between 15 elegant contestants.
The pageant, held on Saturday, was one of many trackside attractions of the Super GT 2011 race held over the weekend to keep fans and visitors entertained off the track at Sepang International Circuit.
All the 15 finalists selected earlier this May in the semi-final round at Empire Shopping Gallery in Subang Jaya, competed through three rounds on the catwalk in batik dress sponsored by Kraftangan Malaysia, and in casual and ‘samba’ wear.
The concluding round was the Q&A session before a panel of judges who really had a hard time choosing the winner. After much profound deliberation… Lu Shan, 21, a final year student at Nilai University College reading for her degree in Bachelor of Accounting and Finance was crowned Super GT Malaysia Queen 2011!
If you must know, her numbers are 32-25-34, but how she wowed the capacity crowd and judges was with her effervescent personality, intelligence, confidence and an upbeat Samba routine.
“I am so excited! I am jumping up and down right now!” said the newly crowned racing royalty after the result was announced.
“I know the expectations and challenges that the title of Super GT Malaysia Queen carries, so I will serve diligently as a worthy queen,” added Lu Shan, who entered the contest at the encouragement of her boyfriend.
“Yes, I feel great and I am all pretty excited about going to Japan for the experience,” she confirmed.
Lu Shan not only received RM2,000 cash, an SUB professional make-up course worth RM7,800 and YUME jewellery worth RM400, but will also stay in Japan for a unique once-in-a-life time chance of professional race queen training.
(The Japan Super GT Series is run entirely by Japanese professionals, and like the Formula 1 circus, travels with a full troupe of all the personnel and machines it needs, including GT Queens; SIC has the distinction of being the venue for the only race outside of Japan.)
What does she intend to do after graduation? “I want to become an air stewardess to travel and see the world first,” she said, “before I join the accounting and financeprofession.”
The other subsidiary titles were won by Michelle Chew (Miss Queen of Super GP Caffee 2011), Vanes Phung (Miss Photogenic 2011), Winnie Tang (Miss Popularity 2011), Sandy How (Miss Best Poise 2011) and Renee Wong (Miss Charisma 2011).
Chew, 23, is a final year student of Limkokwing university studying for a Bachelor of Creative Multimedia degree. Thanking her friend for introducing her to the contest, she hopes to become a successful multimedia woman entrepreneur. For claiming the Queen of Super GP Caffee 2011 subsidiary title, she received RM1,500 cash and other prizes from sponsors worth more than RM5,860.
The remaining subsidiary titles each carried RM500 cash and prizes worth more than RM1,060.
Tang, 19, a student of UCSI university, is a part-time model and a first-time participant in a beauty pageant. She thanked organiser DG Color which provided the grooming and training she received, from she which mustered enough courage to grace the catwalk in high-heels and something quite attention-grabbing. Her win was based on the most number of votes, (4,146 of them) she garnered on Facebook.
“Thankyou for helping me walk out onto the stage with all my confidence. It means a lot to me,” she said, referring to the pageant organiser.
How, 21, and Wong, 23, are students at Help university college studying for their Bachelor of Business, majoring in marketing. Both were excited at winning a beauty title at their first attempt.
“I had a really good time and experience and made lots of friends. I was absolutely surprised (by the win) and did great for my first time,” said How, whose poise overruled her inexperience.“I was really excited and I want to thank my sister for encouraging me to enter the competition,” said Wong, whose sister was overseas.
Phung, 18, an Australian matriculation student at Sunway University said: “What a wonderful experience this contest was for me. I made several very nice friends and gained so much self confidence.”
Among the panel of five judges was YS Loh, marketing director of DG Color, the organiser of the beauty search pageant.
Overall it was a great showdone very professionally. Fifteen leggy lovely beauties: each was a winner for participating.
