SINGAPORE, 23 NOVEMBER 2008 — THE MOST BEAUTIFUL young people in City Harvest Church strutted their stuff on the runway at Asia Conference’s Manhunt and Beauty Pageant this Sunday night.
The event was a star-studded affair, with the likes of celebrity doctor Dr Georgia Lee and former Manhunt winner and host Benedict Goh judging the event, alongside Miss Taiwan 2000, Vivi Wang, who presented the prizes. The event was sponsored by Singapore companies 77th Street and Hairfolio.
Contestants were judged on factors such as their physical fitness, confidence and how well they spoke. Most had never been on a catwalk before this competition, but one would never have guessed, thanks to the six weeks of training the contestants received during the competition.
The event began with the swimwear video segment: contestants introduced themselves, talked about their personal interests, personal life philosophies, as well as their motivations for joining the competition. A few saw the competition as a platform to build their confidence and an opportunity for a good challenge.
Next, contestants had to demonstrate their ability to carry themselves well in eveningwear.
It was great fun for many in the audience to view their friends in a completely different light. The air was pierced with the whistles and screams of supporters bearing banners, whistles and flags, rooting for their friends.
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| PHOTOS: Michael Chan |
The highlight of the pageant was the Q&A session, where the contestants had to answer questions that demonstrated their intelligence and sound thinking of life and current issues. Questions were posed on the meaning of love, the issue of plastic surgery and the differences between men and women.
Answers ranged from the politically correct, to the heartfelt (“Love is not a feeling but a choice, it is giving to others at the expense of yourself”, described Zachariah Koh) to the down-right cheeky. When asked how men could learn from women, and vice versa, contestant Teo Yu Hao quipped that he could not quite yet comprehend women, and would probably not be able to answer the question until he got a girlfriend — and in doing so, openly declared his availability to a greatly amused audience.
Another tough question was “Is plastic surgery an option for the less privileged in the looks department?” The audience held its breath as two contestants maneuvered wise answers to that challenging question. Contestant Deborah Chan took an objective view saying that while it was a matter of the individual’s personal choice, it would not help one’s self image. She ended with the crowdpleaser: “Everyone is beautiful if they take more effort to dress up.”
Contestant Desmond Cheong held a stronger view. “Yes, it is an option available for those less privileged in the looks department. It would help those who have suffered greatly through the years(because of their appearance). Plastic surgery should be an option, but definitely not your first.”
Contestants Stephanie Surya and Ricanto Susanto were eventually crowned Miss and Mr Asia Conference, while Teo Yu Hao and Deborah Chan won second places, with the third places going to Jonathan Ng and Evi Suputra.
