Beauty paraded and glory shone at the Miss Singapore International 2009 finals held at the Raffles Town Club on 15 August 2009. Ashley Ng, 19, conquered all odds and clinched the Second Runner-Up title.
Those among the crowd who recalled the night of the Grand Finals would mostly agree that Murphy’s Law was evidently at work. “Everything that could possibly go wrong in a pageant went ALL WRONG!” Ng exclaimed in exasperation. Tripping over heels, trampling on other contestants’ gowns, having a typically “only average” walk were just some of the many pageant taboos Ng committed— so this was indeed an unexpected win.
Ng, a student, is also a finalist of Miss Earth Singapore 2009. From heaps of school assignments and examinations to an extremely hectic schedule of rehearsals and community involvement programs, Ng had a grueling time attempting to struggle between both worlds — she was on the verge of giving up. However, the feisty fighter persevered on and her victories today are results of her determination and tenacity.
Ng is training with InQueenz Pte Ltd, an organization set up by Genecia Luo, a former pageant winner (Miss Singapore International 2006), which aims to support women in achieving their dreams and ideals. Ng deems Luo as a great teacher, role model and personal good friend that taught her discipline, focus, right attitudes and how to be equipped with the right skills. Unknown to many, Ng is a simple girl-next-door that transformed into a beauty queen in just 2 months — she was a greenhorn when it came to pageants.
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| PHOTOS: Ashley Ang Sihui |
To Ng, behind her success are greater people that loved and supported her through this tough but exciting journey. She drew a fair bit of courage and comfort from her mentor, Nanz Chong-Komo, a social entrepreneur and author, who encouraged and believed in her. Another one of Ng’s inspirations is international artist Sun Ho, who to her lives out an exemplary lifestyle in the entertainment industry. Ng tells City News that ultimately, her immovable source of strength is her faith in God and she credits God for making her previously impossible successes possible.
Ng is also in the midst of writing a book about her experiences and thoughts during this road to self-discovery — like all the women who’ve inspired her, she hopes to inspire others to pursue their dreams.
