Kimi Tomas, the 2023 Mrs Global Asian winner, may have triumphed in Melaka in February this year, but her unshakable desire to showcase her Bornean identity to the world has never wavered. In October, the beauty queen released her debut single in her native language Iban, titled “Telai Pengerindu” (Whispers of Love).
Elevating Borneo’s music through ‘Telai Pengerindu’
Sarawakian Kimi Tomas passionately elevated her ethnic and cultural identity by releasing her debut Iban single, “Telai Pengerindu” (Whispers of Love), on October 27.
The 35-year-old stated that she intentionally included the sape sound in the song to attract younger audiences to listen to traditional music.
“Telai Pengerindu was composed by Tam Cobain, one of the nation’s most gifted composers, who had collaborated with prominent Malaysian singers, including Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza and Alif Satar.
“Looking at the state of traditional music today, I felt the urge to preserve our indigenous instrumental sound so that it will continue to be known by outsiders and, most importantly, our younger generation.
“Besides wanting the sape sound to be known all over the world, I also want my mother tongue, the Iban language, to be heard internationally.
“To me, Borneo music is unique and beautiful; the sound of sape itself is exceptionally subtle and calming.
“In addition, because Malaysia is one of the countries that produce sape, I feel that it is crucial for me to help expose, highlight and revive Borneo music to the outside world,” she said, adding she is still learning to play sape with Anderson Kalang, a professional sape player.
Kimi, who now resides in Kuala Lumpur and has become an entrepreneur, expressed her happiness and pride at the success of her music video, which has received 27,507 views on YouTube since it was released about three weeks ago.
According to her, the music video, which also features an English translation, makes it incredibly simple for people to understand the Iban language even if they are not native speakers, particularly for her diverse fan base in Peninsular Malaysia.
She went on to say that the majority of viewers now understand the message conveyed in the song and have begun to appreciate the sape instrument as well as the Iban language, thanks to the translation.
“I am really happy that Telai Pengerindu is able to help unite people from different backgrounds and cultures in the country,” she said beamingly, adding that she wished more people would be aware of Borneo’s traditional music.
At the same time, the Sarawakian beauty queen also hoped that Telai Pengerindu would educate everyone about love.
“Self-love is important. If you can learn to love yourself and all your flaws, you can love other people so much better.
“Come, let’s spread love and peace all over the world,” she noted.
Journey as 2023 Mrs Global Asian Champion
Kimi, the oldest of her three siblings, said that in reality, becoming a beauty queen is a bigger deal than merely competing in a pageant.
She pointed out that women were given the chance to shine in the prestigious competition, not only by demonstrating the role of women but also by providing an opportunity for women worldwide to express their thoughts and create awareness.
“I was delighted about the competition, which attracted 22 representatives from nine different countries. Moreover, I was representing both Borneo and Sarawak.
“This is also one of my biggest achievements in life, and I am certainly grateful for the never-ending support from my family, friends, and those who came from the beginning to the end and gave words of encouragement for me to participate in the competition,” she said.
Elaborating, she added that she wanted to promote body positivity and size inclusivity as she had firsthand experience as a plus-sized woman.
As far as she is concerned, being a plus-size woman is okay as long as we are happy and healthy in our own skin.
“I was being absolutely honest when I told myself that I wanted to compete in advocacy-driven pageants because that’s the legacy I wanted to leave as a queen.
“The women in our network are committed to helping one another, pushing for social change, and giving back to the community.
“It is possible to inspire future generations and offer direction and support to women who are striving for success by encouraging successful women to act as mentors and role models.
“Empowering women is not just the right thing to do; it’s crucial for making society better and more successful for everyone.
“Investing in the empowerment of women is an investment in a better future for everybody, as they are not only beneficiaries but also proactive changers.
“I really think that having access to a quality education is crucial for empowering all women out there. Therefore, in order to guarantee that women possess all the necessary knowledge and abilities, governments and organisations should fund schools in addition to literacy and scholarship initiatives,” she said.
Contribution to society
Kimi has thus far shown a great deal of support for children from disadvantaged backgrounds and individuals with impairments.
She prioritises orphans in her charitable work, and she made Ani Fashion, a shop owned by a disabled couple in Jalan Keramat, Kuala Lumpur, her first preference when it came to making her dresses since she saw potential in their abilities.
Regarding her tribal tattoos, the 35-year-old entrepreneur stated that she is proud of her flaws.
“I guess that is what makes me unique as an Iban woman. Dayak tattoos aren’t just a fun design. They were part of a culture and spiritual practice for elderly people in ancient times.
“No one can tell you it’s wrong to have a Dayak tattoo if you’ve done your study and are really excited about having one.
“To me, Sarawak is home to numerous indigenous cultures, all with their own practices, traditions, and festivals that contribute to the colourful tapestry that makes up our unique identity; hence, it is crucial to preserve our cultural heritage,” she said.
Words of encouragement
Kimi gave advice to women of all sizes and shapes who aspire to compete in beauty pageants or are given a chance in any other field: always give it your all, and success will come.
“Never lose hope; even though our opportunities may be different, if we work hard, our accomplishments will undoubtedly be beautiful and fruitful.
“Do not get discouraged if you lose. There will always be another beauty pageant and other competitions that you can enter, so try harder until you reach your goal, and most importantly, stay humble and always remember your roots,” she pointed out.
For those who haven’t heard Kimi’s song, Telai Pengerindu, it’s available for download and streaming on all digital platforms, including YouTube, Apple Music, iTunes, Joox, Spotify, Deezer, KKBOX, Amazon Music, and TikTok.
In the near future, she also plans to release her Malay version of the song, “Bisikan Cinta”.
