KUCHING: It was a double victory for Angel Chai during the grand finale of the inaugural Miss Hardware Beauty Pageant which was held at Thian Court Restaurant, Crown Towers here on Saturday night.
She was crowned Miss Hardware besides winning the Best Oratory Skill Award.
The beauty pageant with the theme “The rise of the Hardware Queen” was organised by the Kuching and Kota Samarahan Division Hardware and Machinery Merchants’ Association.
The hot favourite among the 10 finalists, Angel, who was Contestant No. 21, represented the hardware company Thai Soon Hang Sdn. Bhd.
She received the championship trophy and took home prizes worth RM6,000 (RM3,000 in cash and RM 3,000 gifts), plus another RM500 cash prize for the Oratory Skill Award.
She also won the Miss Talent subsidiary title, which was awarded during the semi-final on July 27.
The first runner-up was Contestant No. 26, Celline Piong, who represented the hardware company Yong Seng Lung. She took home a trophy and prizes worth RM3,000 (RM2,000 cash and RM1,000 gifts).
The second runner-up was Yvonne Wong, who represented Seri Waja Enterprise. She received a trophy and prizes worth RM2,000 (RM1,500 cash and RM500 gifts).
She was also the winner of the Miss Photogenic subsidiary title; the prize was awarded during the semi-final.
All the finalists also received gifts worth RM300 during the final.
The top two winners of the Miss Talent subsidiary titles, Angel, Irene, together with Celine Piong and Jojo Ting displayed their talents in dancing, singing and playing of musical instruments to entertain the guests during the dinner.
The final of the beauty pageant was the highlight of the hardware association’s grand Mooncake Festival Dinner, which was attended by over 1000 guests.
The association also presented academic awards to 32 members’ children who excelled in their primary and secondary school examinations as well as in public examinations.
The president of the hardware association Law Nai Chiok, in his speech, commented that as a business-related organisation, the hardware association played an important role in uniting the members and promoting closer rapport among the business associates.
The association also contributed to education like donating to the expansion projects of Chinese primary schools and presenting academic awards to the members’ children.
Law also revealed that the Hardware Beauty Pageant helped to promote better relationships among the members as well as attract more people from the same business circle to join the association to strengthen its membership.
He said that the association was aware of the challenges faced by the members under the present political and business situation, especially after the change of government on May 9 last year.
Law added that the prosperity of the hardware business depended a lot on the development of basic amenities, infrastructure, agriculture and industrial sectors.
He hoped that the state government would implement more development projects in rural areas, including infrastructure, water supply and electrification projects, as well as attract more foreign investors to the state, especially through the Belt and Road Initiative mooted by the Chinese government, to boost the hardware business in Sarawak.
The organising chairman of the dinner Vincent Wong Toh Hung, in his speech, described that the organising of the beauty pageant as a breakthrough for the association which had existed for over 50 years. The event, he said, had helped to popularise the association and push its development to greater height.
He added that the association would not neglect its social responsibility role in helping the needy.
He revealed that the association had donated RM10,000 to the management board of the Chung Hua Primary School No. 2 for its expansion project and RM2,000 to the Kuching and Samarahan Division Cerebral Palsy Association during the semi-final of the beauty pageant on July 27.
