Duo shine in Miss Malaysia Tourism Pageant 2015

From left: Chong, Miss Malaysia Tourism 2015 Xandria Ban and Rishon with their trophies

UTAR students Rishon Shun and Chong Jia Ying emerged as winners of two out of three titles in the Miss Malaysia Tourism Pageant 2015 grand finale held at Shaftsbury Asteria, iKHASAS iTech Tower, Cyberjaya on 17 October 2015.

Following her crowning as Miss Perak Tourism 2015 on 18 May 2015, Rishon continued to prove her mettle by successfully clinching the Miss Malaysia Tourism ‘Queen of the Year 2015’ title. Chong, on the other hand, went from being Miss Perak Tourism 2015’s Top 5 finalist to the titleholder of Miss Malaysia Tourism Metropolitan 2015.

“I was pleasantly surprised when I was announced as a Top 5 finalist and then the winner of Miss Malaysia Tourism Queen of the Year 2015,” said Rishon, adding that it was competitive as there were 15 finalists from Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Sarawak, Sabah, Pahang, Selangor, Perak, Penang, and Johor, with each and every one being uniquely talented and charming in her own way. “We bonded really well and I love the camaraderie,” she told.

When asked about what made her stood out in the competition, the English Language undergraduate shared that it was her ability to communicate effectively in English and confidence in carrying herself well. To the 21-year-old, her determination and perseverance throughout the competition may have also been the factors in winning the crown, to which she related her unfortunate mishap of falling backstage during the grand finale night.

“I actually fainted after falling backstage but managed to wake up seconds later. That was when I discovered I had this excruciating back pain and couldn’t really stand straight,” the Teluk Intan lass shared, saying that the positive support pouring from Chong and other comrades boosted her confidence and strengthened her determination to not give up halfway. Rishon then endured the pain throughout the finale night and eventually brought home the crown as well as two other subsidiary titles including Miss Photogenic and Miss RNG EMagazine.

Public Relations student Chong attributed her success as Miss Malaysia Tourism Metropolitan 2015 to the education she received at UTAR. “I was actually not very confident because the other contestants carry themselves so well and each is a winner in her own right,” the 20-year-old professed. She added that it was her desire for self-improvement which propelled her to the top. To further complement her self-discipline, the knowledge and exposure Chong gained from UTAR’s Public Relations programme have also perfected her public speaking and presentation skills, among others. “Throughout the competition, I have managed to establish and maintain close ties with the contestants, the organisers, franchise holder, sponsors, members of the media, and others,” the Malim Nawar beauty said. Chong also earned herself the Miss Confidence subsidiary title.  

According to the duo, while people may perceive the contestants to be “straight-up enemies” with one another, in reality it was the contrary. During the competition, both Rishon and Chong were constantly rooting for each other and looked after each other like twin sisters, reflecting the spirit and bond of UTARians.

Miss Malaysia Tourism Pageant is an annual pageant with RNG Consultancy Sdn Bhd being the National Organiser this year. The key objective this year is to promote “the beauty of Malaysia” on a global scale, as well as fashion, health, arts and culture, education, and charity. Prior to the grand finale, the finalists had engaged in tourism promotional programmes. Themed "Miss Malaysia Tourism ...Because We Care", the pageant also saw the finalists visiting animal shelters and welfare homes. The three titles awarded during the grand finale were Miss Malaysia Tourism 2015, Miss Malaysia Tourism Queen of the Year 2015, and Miss Malaysia Tourism Metropolitan 2015.

 Rishon (left) and Chong (right) in stunning traditional wear

Rishon receiving her subsidiary titles

Chong (left) receiving the Miss Confidence subsidiary title

The winners and the Managing Director of RNG Consultancy Sdn Bhd, Rachelle Ng (standing)

*Photo courtesy of RNG Consultancy Sdn Bhd