KUCHING: Do you know that ethnic Sarawakians are among the most beautiful and handsome people in the world?
Recently, two ethnic Sarawakians, Shirlyn Sarina Hendry, 29, from Bario was crowned Queen of Universe Tourism 2023 in the Philippines while John Watson Tamin, 31, from Ulu Layar, Betong won the Mr Heritage International 2023 also in Philippines.
Shirlyn, who is of Kelabit and Lun Bawang parentage, was crowned Queen of Universe Tourism 2023 at the pageant finale on April 27.
“To my family, friends, and fans, I am beyond grateful for your unrelenting love and support.
“Your encouragement and unwavering belief in me have been my guiding light and I owe this victory to all of you,” she posted on her Instagram account.
She also described her victory as an unforgettable moment she would cherish for the rest of her life.
“I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to Megastar Production and all of its crew for making this incredible event happen. Without their support, this dream of mine would not have become a reality.
“Their timeless efforts behind the scenes have made this pageant a resounding success and I am forever indebted to them,” she added.
At the pageant, Shirlyn also won the Best International Costume and Miss Friendship.
According to a previous news report, Shirlyn works as a sales analyst for a Japanese-based company and is a Master in Business Administration.
Previous beauty pageants she has won include Miss Universe Tourism Malaysia in 2022 and Miss Petite Universe Malaysia in 2020.
Meanwhile, John, an Iban, won the Mr Heritage International 2023 during the competition’s final night on April 28.
The personal trainer, singer, song composer, producer, model, motivational speaker and actor wrote in his Instagram account that he was proud to win the competition.
“It is not easy, but I did it. Malaysia, we did it. Malaysia boleh! I am more than proud to represent my beloved unique country Malaysia in this international pageant, Mister Heritage 2023,” he said.
He thanked both his parents and all those who supported him throughout his competition.
At the event, John also won the subsidiary titles of Best Spokesperson, Best Personality and Best Grand Arrival.
He was crowned Mr Elegant Sarawak in 2019, Keling Sarawak in 2019 and Mister Glam Borneo in 2022.
