Thomas Tan
The results are in and the 22 finalists of Miss & Mrs Wilayah KL & Selangor Kebaya 2018/2019 have been selected.
They were presented to the public during the Introduction of Finalists, Fashion and Talent Show at Summit USJ shopping mall in Subang Jaya on 9th September 2018.
The event kicked off with the finalists in their kebayas walking the stage to introduce themselves, making heads turn as they elegantly showcased their figure-hugging outfits and their talent.
All of the 22 finalists (16 for Miss category, 6 for Mrs category) will compete for the titles of Miss & Mrs Wilayah KL & Selangor Kebaya 2018/2019 in the grand finals on November. The National Grand Final will be held this December.
The finalists, aged between 18 and 38 are as unique and diverse and comprised engineer, doctor, models, entrepreneurs, consultant, researcher and university students.
The Top 6 Best in Talent picked were Noraina Jamal Rashid (modern & cultural fusion dance), Nurul Shaqierin (traditional dance), Sitinur Sabrina (Malaysia dance), Sharifah Haneesya (traditional Balinese dance), Nur Hazwani (traditional dance) and Arilla Sri Masayu (silat gayung fatani).
The talent winners will compete again for Best Talent subsidiary title in the November grand final.
“This year I’m very happy because the response from the public is very encouraging. At the state level competitions we have Wilayah KL, Selangor, Kedah, Melaka, Johor and Sarawak and the winners representing these six states will compete in the national grand final scheduled tentatively early December,” said Nicole Fe Lynne, the newly appointed national director of Miss & Mrs Malaysia Kebaya 2018/2019.
“This is also one of the most competitive year I’ve seen compared to previous years. There are too many candidates and we have to turn away many who are below the height 160cm, so we decided to create a separate pageant called Petite Kebaya Queen 2018/2019,” she added.
Nicole was appointed national director by Miss Malaysia Kebaya (MMK) founder and president Jason Hee.
“I would like to thank Jason Hee for appointing me as the National Director this year. I have never expected to take on such a big and heavy responsibility and I am very honoured on the trust given to me,” said Nicole.
On the finalists chosen, she said: “They are the best so far but most of them are still very new in pageantry so they will be given a lot of intensive training such as catwalk, image building, discipline and etiquettes, entrepreneurship, public speaking and many more. We will be able to see the total transformation at the end of the pageant.”
“This year MMK Couture has launched a new line of Peranakan Baba Nyonya Kebaya designs. Our finalists will be wearing these outfits. MMK Couture began in early December 2017 and founded by Jason Hee, along with me as co-founder. We are humbly proud and honoured that we can bring the cultural and traditional Baba Nyonya to surface again in our country.
“I hope this year will definitely be a bigger and better year with the support from sponsors, partners, medias, fans and supporters. I would encourage everyone to witness and take part in this pageant so that we can create more awareness not only in our country but to the world as we are moving on to Miss Kebaya World next year.
Citizen Journalists Malaysia (CJMY) spoke with three of the Miss Wilayah KL & Selangor Kebaya 2018/2019 finalists – Qystina Batrisyia, Tengku Nur Farhana and Siti Juliana – to find out more about them.
Qystina Batrisyia, 20, from Perlis and a law degree student in BAC (Brickfields Asia College), said her reason for joining the Miss Malaysia Kebaya pageant was to be an inspiration to women to change their life.
“I can tell that every girl’s dream is to be a beauty queen. I’ve always wanted to get exposure for myself and be an inspiration to women in this world by participating in beauty pageants. I believe that MMK is the best platform for me for starting out because I am given the opportunity to embrace the identity and tradition of Malaysia by proudly being one of the models for Kebaya,” she said.
“I can also build experience and gain important knowledge being in a pageant, plus I really want to prove that it is not impossible to pursue two dreams at the same time because beauty is not enough if it doesn’t come with the brain. Everyone can do what they love and excel in their studies at the same time. They just need to know how to balance both at the same time and this might be tricky but nothing is impossible to me. Doing what I’m passionate about is such an honour,” she added.
Qystina who stands at 170 cm (5’ 6.9”) tall said she had never entered a pageant before and had learned many things from competing in Miss Malaysia Kebaya pageant.
“This is my first pageant experience. I would never forget this wonderful experience for being a part of MMK family. Honestly, my first catwalk was during the audition as I have zero knowledge and practice on catwalk and I knew I’d messed up. I never expected to be a finalist so I’m really quite surprised and it’s the happiest news for me, my family and friends.
“I’m thankful to MMK, its founder Jason Hee, national director Nicole Fe Lynne and audition judges for giving me the opportunity and trust in me to improve my skills which I believe I have but it’s just that I need a lot of practices.
“During my journey in MMK so far, I’ve gained a lot of valuable knowledge and skills which will not only make me good pageant material but also a better person. This has been the most delightful experience which I’m not going to forget. Moreover I’ve met a lot of new and interesting people and made lots of new friends.”
On the kebaya, Qystina said she had always been fond of the attire since she was a young girl.
“Kebaya is a traditional dress that shows our country’s identity. I love the uniqueness of kebaya itself. It’s very flexible but as long as we know how to choose and mix-match, we can use kebaya as a formal outfit or an informal one and anyone who wears it will definitely look elegant and beautiful.
“No one has any idea how much i love kebaya and how many kebayas I own in my wardrobe, including my mom’s old kebayas. My mom is still a fan of kebaya as well. She was the “Ratu Kebaya” decades ago when she was around my age.
“Seeing modern girls wearing kebaya just touch my heart and I believe with help from MMK, we can produce more modernized kebaya to make sure the attire will always be appreciated by the whole world.”
Qystina said if she were to be crowned Miss Malaysia Kebaya 2018/2019 queen, she would promote kebaya in the United Kingdom.
“If I win, it will be such an unexpected bonus for me. Winning or losing won’t stop me from promoting kebaya. I am already a part of the MMK family whether I win the title or not. I would be able to promote kebaya not only in Malaysia and via social media, but also in the United Kingdom since next year I will be going there to further my studies.
“I will help to promote kebaya by styling it out and selling kebayas from the MMK Couture. I know Jason will support my idea to open up a business there and we can even ship kebayas to all over the world, with help and support from my family and friends. I know nothing is impossible and I have to be confident to make this happen. I also hope to be appointed MMK ambassador to help expand the popularity of kebaya dress.”
Qystina has big dreams. She is really passionate about it and is working hard for it. The Miss Malaysia Kebaya competition gives her an opportunity to make a mark in the pageantry world.
“I am the only child and my parents have high expectations from me on my academics and dreams. My main ambition is to be a criminal lawyer after I graduate from a LLB degree program next year in UK, but I am also not letting go off my passion being beauty queen.
“This is my first time entering a beauty pageant and it won’t be the last time for me. MMK is a very good starting to build my skills and exposure. I also believe that MMK will teach me a lot of things that will make my dreams come true. I hope I can be an inspiration of beauty with brain to everyone. I will keep on going and seize every chances I get in pageant competitions after this is over.
“I’m so grateful because not everyone has the chance to pursue their dreams but for me, if you have a dream, go for it because dream isn’t a fairy tale but it does come true if you take the effort and work hard enough to pursue it.”
Qystina’s interests include reading, Zumba dance and modelling.
32-year-old Tengku Nur Farhana binti Tengku Zainul Hisham from Kuantan and now working as executive personnel in a hotel in Kuala Lumpur said she was fascinated by the beauty of kebaya.
“We should be proud to wear the kebaya because it illustrates Malaysia’s national tradition and rich cultural heritage. That enticed me to join Miss Malaysia Kebaya pageant because I’m interested in the concept of promoting Malaysian traditional attires internationally as a cultural icon that will make Malaysia more recognisable in the eyes of the world, not only in the aspect of an advanced developing nation but also rich in cultural heritage,” she said.
The 163cm (5’ 4.2”) tall lady who finished in Top 4 of Muslim Model Show 2017, an Islamic model search contest for Muslim models, said she is totally in love with kebaya for its elegance and sophisticated feminine touch.
“If I win the Miss Malaysia Kebaya title I will wear kebaya for any formal events and share the history and contemporary use of kebaya and kebaya making to people. And if there is opportunity I would like to design and create my own Kebaya exclusive brand collection.
When asked on her plans for the future, Tengku Nur Farhana replied: “I want to be a successful and independent woman, and a source of inspiration to the community. I would like to show the power of women survival in life – although women are faced with all kinds of daily challenges, they do not easily give up and will continue to step forward boldly and confidently in order to achieve stability and success in life, even when they’re living alone.
Tengku Nur Farhana loves getting involved in sports and her hobbies and personal interests include karaoke and modelling.
For 23-year-old unit trust consultant and part-time model Siti Juliana Binti Juma Khan, her reason for joining the Miss Malaysia Kebaya was for self-improvement.
“I hope to gain more experience and exposure, and share my talent and the things I learned,” she said.
“I like the kebaya because it evokes elegance and fascination with sexy curves shaped around the waist area. When you wear kebaya clothes, you look very worthy, gorgeous and polite, and you feel like you’re the last Malay woman,” she added.
The KLite who stands 165 cm (5’ 4.9”) started modelling since 2013 and only started doing pageants in 2017. She won several other awards, including first runner-up in Miss Inspire Malaysia 2017, Best Catwalk Miss International 2018 and Top 10 Miss Glamourous 2018.
Siti Juliana is also a certified instructor in Train the Trainer.
“If I win the pageant, I will promote kebaya as a beautiful traditional clothing in social media and to people near me,” she said.
For her future goal and aspiration, she said: “I aspire to become a successful woman rich in spirit, life experience and financial literacy.”
Siti Juliana loves workouts to keep herself fit and enjoy various hobbies such as archery and golf.
MMK 2018／2019 WILAYAH KL & SELANGOR FINALISTS
MISS CATEGORY (Age 18-35)
- Nurul Shaqierin binti Md Zin, 22, degree student
- Shona Wong Yee Jing, 24, company secretary assistant
- Nurul Izzaty, 26, freelance model
- Norazah Harun, 29, financial advisor
- Qystina Batrisyia, 20, law student
- Noraina Jamal Rashid, 26, analyst officer
- Sharifah Haneesya, 18, model & actress
- Farhah Zamara, 21, medical student
- Sitinur Sabrina Mohammad, 19, law student
- Tengku Nur Farhana binti Tengku Zainul Hisham, 32, admin executive/freelance model
- Nur Mazzuani Izzati binti Kamarul Mazlan, 23, degree student/freelance model
- Darshini, 24, shipping coordinator
- Anna Jobling, 18, model
- Zulaikha Safuan, 29, engineer
- Alya Iman Abdul Manab, 26, medical business executive
- Shafiera Jahn binti Mohamed Yasin, 19 , freelance model
MRS CATEGORY (Age 25-50)
- Syazwani Md Saad, 31, boutique owner
- Arilla Sri Masayu binti Abd Rahim, 32, researcher
- Siti Juliana Juma Khan, 23, unit trust consultant/freelance model
- Nur Hazwani, 30, medical doctor graduate/entrepreneur/freelance model
- Nitya Purusothaman, 33, business support manager
- Shareeny Syahrin Chong, 38, mompreneur/trainer/consultant
TOP 6 TALENT WINNERS
MISS CATEGORY
1. Noraina Jamal Rashid – modern & cultural fusion dance
2. Nurul Shaqierin – traditional dance
3. Sitinur Sabrina – Malaysia Dance
4. Sharifah Haneesya (Bali dance Asmaradana)
MRS CATEGORY
1. Nur Hazwani – traditional dance
2. Arilla Sri Masayu – silat gayung fatani
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