| Aziz Idris |
AN APPRECIATIVE crowd at the Brunei International Airport welcomed the three female youths who represented Brunei at the Puteri Muslimah Asia 2018 held in Jakarta on their return to the Sultanate on Tuesday night.
Family members, friends and fans thronged the arrival hall offering bouquets and holding up banners to welcome firstly Nur Sakinah binti Md Zainul Amir, popularly known as Inah, 17, who upheld Brunei’s name in the beauty pageant after being voted among the Top 5 contestants of Puteri Muslimah 2018 broadcast live on Indosiar TV station on May 7.
Currently a student, Inah told the Bulletin she was ecstatic when her name was announced as the fourth winner for the first Puteri Muslimah Asia 2018, besting other contestants.
She said it was her first ever big competition and being picked for the final five is already a great accomplishment not only for her but also all Muslimah from Brunei. She described her success as “so sweet and meaningful in my life”.
Asked what is next for the 17-year-old, Inah replied, “I will still focus on my studies (especially exams) and I hope my achievement can help raise the dignity of local Muslimah.”
Through questioning sessions, one by one the participants were eliminated from the total 18, leaving only the best 10. Juries from six representative countries then chose the final five participants based on criteria such as faith, talent, beauty and ability to think globally.
Another contestant, Amal Azimatul Filzah binti Haji Mohammad Daud, known as Mals Daud, 19, was one of the Top 10 finalists. She won the judges’ hearts and thousand more of her followers on social media to earn herself the title of ‘Puteri Muslimah Friendship Asia 2018’.
She was joined by two other title winners, the Puteri Muslimah Favourite Asia 2018 won by Turkey’s Avida Lale and Asian Talent-Based Muslim Women 2018 won by Turkey’s Beyza Demir.
Mals told the Bulletin that her title win came as a surprise as she considered other contestants to be equally good and talented. The title win was based on nomination from her chaperons and judges as well as online votes by her fans evaluated during the week-stay in Jakarta, Indonesia based on her friendliness, respect, taking orders, approachibility and uniting all contestants from different countries into a ‘single unit’.
Now with close to 16,000 followers on her Instagram account, Mals Daud thanked her family and fans as well as coordinators from Brunei and Indonesia for their guidance and support throughout the competition.
Norhirzia binti A Daud or Ziaa Ady, the eldest Brunei contestant at 25, did not manage to get through the primary rounds, but she gained exposure and confidence while at the same time promoted Brunei’s talents to the Muslim world.
Puteri Muslimah Asia 2018 saw Malaysian TV presenter Naseha Uyaina Arshad crowned Champion which was broadcast live at the Indosiar TV station in Jakarta, Indonesia on May 7. Uyaina, 27, beat 17 other participants to bring home a cash prize of RM30,000, plus a tiara and a trophy.
Indonesia’s Hanifah Razan finished second, while Turkey’s Avida Lale came third.
Puteri Muslimah Asia 2018 saw 18 female youths representing six countries in Asia – Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Singapore, Timor Leste, Turkey and Indonesia. Each country sent its three best Muslimah selected on four criteria, namely faith, talent, beauty, and ability to think globally.
Yenny Wahid (Indonesia), Erra Fazira (Malaysia), Marina Yussof (Singapore), Siti Rahmawati (Turkey), DJ Daffy (Brunei Darussalam), and Shechah Salem Sagran (Timor Leste) were the judges.
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