Sitiawan beauty proud to be in her own skin

Sitiawan beauty Melissa Mohan Tyndall was recently crowned Miss Plus World Malaysia 2021.

The pageant for women aged 20 to 35 and size 12 and up was held at Zenith Hotel, Putrajaya on 2 Jan this year.

The 30-year-old head of sales and marketing was excited about the win and looks forward to representing Malaysia in Texas, USA for the Miss Plus World Pageant 2021 grand final later this year.

She has embraced herself as she is and does not feel overwhelmed being plus size.

“I personally do not feel too challenged being a plus sized girl. Thankfully, I find that the general public connects with any individual on the basis of their values, work ethics and interests,” she told Citizens Journal Malaysia (CJMY).” I am blessed to be surrounded by a very supportive network.”

Melissa found out about the pageant from social media and thought it was a fun idea so she enrolled herself in her first pageant and did her best to win the first Miss Plus World Malaysia title.

“When my name was announced as winner, there was a mixed reaction of shock and happiness. The entire journey was fun albeit challenging. It is a surreal feeling altogether.”

Melissa is known for her active efforts in organising community-focused events to create positive change.  

“I hope more people will come forth and join me in my efforts. There’s never too much kindness. I believe a simple act of kindness goes a long way.”

What was your winning strategy?
“There certainly aren’t any secrets to winning. When on stage, we are well aware that any of us could be named winner. If there is one piece of advice I can give, it is to stay true to yourself and simply enjoy the journey.”

What was your reason for joining this Miss Plus World Malaysia pageant?
“I noticed my days started becoming routine to a point I felt I needed to break that cycle. It was during my lunch break when I stumbled upon the Malaysia Plus World Icon media write-up calling for applicants. Without hesitation, I sent in my application. Only after submission did I inform my family. We immediately burst into laughter as this is something completely out of my comfort zone.”

What have you learned in this pageant?
“In any decision you make, enjoy the journey. Appreciate the people you meet along the way. Make friends and be kind to one another. Ask if you need help. Although the finalists were all competing for the ultimate title, we were always kind to one another and we always offered help where help can be rendered. That feeling of sisterhood will never fade.”

What will you do to make an impact for the coming Miss Plus World final 2021?
“The plan is to simply be myself and to enjoy the journey entirely.”

Do you think plus-size pageant is empowering?
“The pageant gave me the confidence to step out of my comfort zone. I was getting overly comfortable with my routine life. Joining the pageant was an opportunity to break that routine. It certainly gave me the confidence to approach people and to speak my mind further. The pageant was a great opportunity for me to highlight my community work – which I intend to focus on more now.”

How has the pageant changed you for the better in today’s world?
“The pageant has given me the opportunity to reach out to the general public. Even before joining the pageant, I actively organized community-focused events. Now that I’ve won, I believe my efforts will be elevated. It’s kindled this burning desire to take my community work to new heights. I’m certainly excited for what lies ahead. I hope more people will come forth and join me in my efforts. There’s never too much kindness.”

What helped you decide on the best attire to wear for national costume?
“I knew I wanted to showcase my background. I am a Sikh girl from mixed parentage who wanted to be portrayed as a Sikh warrior princess. The vision of my national costume was firmly embedded into me that no one could shake my decision if they tried. My look was created by Nthiran Couture. When the design was sketched, I beamed from ear to ear as the designer managed to perfectly capture my imagination.

“If you take a closer look at my outfit, you will find many little articles on my skirt and my turban. These articles are mainly flowers and butterflies. The finishing on the outfit was made with intent to showcase Malaysia as a country with lush tropical landscapes. Accompanying my outfit was a choker. The choker displayed a Chinese-inspired button and some beadwork. I truly wanted the choker to symbolize my Chinese heritage. All in all, the outfit was a marriage of cultures – cultures that define my background.”

Who would you like to thank for your success in this pageant?
“The first person that jumps to mind is my younger sister Melnisha. She has been by my side right from audition until crowning. Given the pageant activities mainly took place in Kuala Lumpur, my sister accompanied me during all my travels from Perak to Kuala Lumpur. In fact, she even did my make up for my audition and every subsequent event that followed. Melnisha also accompanied me to all my pageant related meetings – from meetings with photographers to designers to sponsors.

“I wish to also thank my parents for being absolutely supportive. Once I got through audition, my parents started noticing areas of improvement within myself and they lovingly carved the path for me as any parent would. To my beautiful aunt Mrs. Sekhon, and her wonderful family who graciously hosted me throughout my pageant journey, I simply can’t thank them enough.

“Apart from my family, I am ever grateful to everyone who has worked with me through my pageant journey. From my friends who are forever my pillars of support to my sponsors and colleagues who cheered me on. Never forgetting PG Photography for being my official photographer throughout my pageant journey. The principal photographer, Prabu and I have been friends since secondary school and he’s been ever supportive of me. To members of the public who came forth showed me love and support, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

What motivates you to serve the community?
“I am motivated by a desire to give back to the community. My efforts started back when I was living abroad. I had a collection of unique soft toys. One day, I read an article about the struggles a child goes through especially when requiring round-the-clock medical attention. I was devastated by the article so I decided to give my collection of soft toys to a children’s hospital. Shortly after that, I received a letter from the CEO of the hospital informing me that the children loved the soft toys. The children were given the soft toys to brighten their day. I didn’t expect anything from the hospital. But the letter made me realise that a little kindness goes a long way. In times of need, it is everyone’s duty to help those they can.”

What community activities have you got involved in?
“My main focus has been breast cancer awareness. I started my breast cancer awareness campaign in 2017 to make people aware of the importance of early detection of breast cancer. I have been running the program since then and there’s been a noticeable increase in interest from the public. I started this campaign because I have lost family members to breast cancer. I usually run annual one-day events for my campaigns. The support I received is overwhelming. During the event, there’s usually a medical professional present, either a nurse or a doctor, to give attendees private sessions on how to perform breast self-examination at home.

“Previous events organized such as a Charity Fun Run in 2017 which successfully raised sufficient funds for three underprivileged individuals who underwent cataract surgery at a private hospital and a Deepavali Brunch in 2019 for 53 disadvantaged plantation workers’ children where they provided with new Deepavali clothes and back-to-school items. I actually picked out each clothing item for the children as I wanted to ensure the items were suitable for their size and height.

“Another event was a Buka Puasa breaking of fast in 2019 for residents of a retirement home. That event allowed the residents to warm up to me and they started sharing their stories. Many of the residents were successful individuals in their younger days. Unfortunately, they simply do not have immediate family members who are able to take care of them. These are just some of the larger-scale events. There’s just so much to learn and with every event, I learn to appreciate life a whole lot more.”

What are your interests and hobbies?
“I have always had an interest in anthropology. And the best way to continue my discovery journey is through travel. Be it travel to learn a new culture or travel to a new destination or travel to try new food. I also enjoy cooking as I find cooking to be therapeutic. I must admit, cleaning up can be the total opposite though.”

Any advice for ladies who may want to do something outside of their comfort zone?
“Know what you wish to achieve and be sincere with your intentions. Since winning, I have received messages from men and women from all over Malaysia asking me where I find the confidence to do what I did. My advice is to surround yourself with people who will uplift you. Stay true to your values and know your worth. Keep that chin high.”