‘Ugly Singaporean’ emerges as beauty queens criticised online
Aside from mocking Miss Singapore Beauty Pageant contestants’ looks, some take to social media to question rationale for allowing Singapore PRs to contest as well.
The photo, an instagram post which was also shared on the Miss Singapore Beauty Pageant’s official Facebook page yesterday, was highly criticised by many Singaporeans on social media, with some saying the girls looked “ugly”, “not pretty enough”, and that some of the contestants should put on a mask.
However, organisers said the contestants will have makeovers over subsequent weeks as part of the contest, and the pageant organiser said the picture circulating online was taken before the makeovers.
There was also much criticism from some Singaporeans as to why the pageant was held, more so as it was open to Singapore permanent residents as well.
A contestant from Singapore, questioned such criticisms.
“I do not understand why our countries of birth are a point of contention.
“As long as they are Singaporeans or residents, they are allowed to join the competition. So I don’t see why they can’t represent Singapore,” finalist Nur Amelina, 21, told the Singapore-based daily.
There are also three girls who are foreigners but have already received their Singaporean citizenship.
Meanwhile China-born finalist Honey Tian, 25, said she has been in Singapore since she was eight. She said it should not matter where contestants were originally from.
“A lot of us (PRs) have been here for a really long time and we love this country. We are proud to represent Singapore,” she was quoted as saying.
According to the ST, The Miss Singapore Beauty Pageant will yield four winners under different titles who will go on to represent Singapore internationally under each title.
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The four titles are: Miss Singapore Tourism Queen, Miss Singapore Chinatown, Miss Singapore Global Beauty Queen and Miss Grand Singapore.