孫明國攝影天地

Vanessa Sim, 24 and was crowned the queen. The first runner-up and the second runner-up were Sonia Mao, 23, and Deborah Yeo, 24.

Miss Chew Jia Min, beauty queen for 2013

Singapore Women’s Association celebrate it 60th Anniversary

Waiting for the new born queen

24-year-old Vanessa Sim

24-year-old Vanessa Sim stood out from all the beauties and was crowned the queen both for her appearance and intelligence.

By Ting Ting
Epoch Times Staff

The Final competition of 2014 Miss Singapore International and the charity dinner in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Singapore Women’s Association was held in the Intercontinental Hotel on the August 23. Thirteen gorgeous girls from different cultural backgrounds showcased their unique definitions of beauty during the contest.

It was 24-year-old Vanessa Sim stood out from all the beauties and was crowned the queen both for her appearance and intelligence. The first runner-up and the second runner-up were Sonia Mao, 23, and Deborah Yeo, 24.

Singapore Women’s Association (SWA) has been hosting Miss Singapore International contest since 1981. Every year the beauty queen of the contest will represent Singapore to compete with beauty queens from all other countries and regions. This year, Vanessa Sim will attend the 54th Miss International Competition in Japan in the coming November.

The president of SWA, Ms Sarah Mei Woo, gave the opening speech for the event. The Deputy Speaker
and Member of Parliament, Mr Seah Kian Peng, also expressed good wishes for the pageant and
the 60th birthday of SWA.

In the following competitions, the contestants paraded in swimwear and evening gowns. There was also a Q&A session for them to express their inner world. Throughout the event, the contestants showcased the demeanour of modern young women.

Speak to one thousand individuals, and they’ll each have their own unique understanding of beauty. One of the board members of SWA, Ms Jean Tong has been sponsoring the event for the past 11 years. She thinks that beauty is not just about one’s appearance. Beauty should also come from one’s inner heart. She pointed out that the way to maintain beauty is to contribute without asking for returns. She also suggested to the younger generation to get out of their comfort zone, and try to give back to the society at an early age. Mr Seah Kian Peng also shared his perspective on beauty.

Mr Seah felt that beauty is a composition of one’s innet world, values and personalities. Similar events can
help young women realise their potential and be more confident. Certainly, y o u n g e r generations including the contestants have their ways of pursuing beauty. The winner Vanessa Sim had a very different childhood fromer peers. She moved to Pakistan with her family when she was only 7. During her five years in Pakistan, Vanessa developed a wide variety of interests, including horse-riding and hill-climbing. She used to climb the Margalla Hill which lies to the north of Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan. After coming back to Singapore for one year, she moved to Malaysia with her family.

Since then, Vanessa became very concerned about our world, especially in the area of animal protection and women’s rights. She introduced Model United Nations activities in her school, and volunteered for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Now, Vanessa works for an international software company. She initiated diversity inclusion in her company and is a strong supporter of women leadership at work.

For thousands of years, generations after generations of women have never stopped in their pursuit of beauty. Each individual has a unique perspective for ‘beauty’. There is an ancient Chinese saying that goes, ‘the outside originates from the inside’, meaning that one’s inner world will affect one’s appearance. One’s appearance will eventually age, but kindness and a positive mind-set can sustain one’s appearance.

The former Miss Singapore Queen, Miss Chew Jia Min, suggested that charity is not just about volunteering. A little exercise of kindness is also very valuable. Her beauty tips for young people are to eat healthy food and maintain fitness. She also exhorted women to believe in themselves and to not be afraid to try new things.

Besides the stage show, the contestants also visited an elderly home to bring love and happiness to the senior people. The Miss Singapore beauty pageant also carries a mission to raise funds for charitable causes, and to inspire younger generations as to what a truly beautiful life is.