KOTA KINABALU: Sabah will host a rare three-in-one prestigious beauty pageant grand finals and coronation ceremonies on Saturday.
It will feature 24 finalists vying for top spots in the Miss World Malaysia, Miss Grand Malaysia and Miss Supranational Malaysia pageants.
It will take place during the Hyperlive Festival Malaysia event at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here.
The festival will also see the appearance of Miss World 2021 Karolina Bielawska and Miss Grand International 2021 Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien.
The finalists will embark on a corporate social responsibility programme in Kiulu this Thursday as part of the programme.
The contestants will engage in eco-tourism and community service activities to experience the rural lifestyle.
Among others, the contestants are expected to engage with the community and help beautify their homestays, upgrade footpaths and plant trees.
Sabah Assistant Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai hoped the contestants would use their time connecting with the locals during the outreach programme.
"Kiulu is a popular spot for eco-tourism and has adopted community-based tourism strongly," he said at a press conference at a Hilton Kota Kinabalu Hotel here.
"The finalists will meet new people and gain insight into local life and culture," he added.
He said the pageants and tourism complemented each other as participants could improve cross-cultural understanding and establish new connections, which will benefit tourism, economic progress and humanitarian efforts.
He encouraged the finalists to use social media platforms to promote their charitable works and Sabah.
Joniston said the pageants aligned with the vision of making Sabah the preferred destination for major business events.
"Staging the spectacular shows at SICC would increase Sabah's reputation as a preferred destination for business events while promoting the splendour of the convention centre to the world," he said.
Meanwhile, Hyperlive Entertainment chief executive officer Sean Wong said the festival aimed to provide a platform for individuals to showcase their talents.
"We aim to empower lives as we have a social mission to bring positive change in our society.
"We hope to support sustainable community projects proposed by our pageant finalists and turn their ideas into reality," he said.
The festival is expected to be attended by Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and will feature tai chi, karate and tacfit presentations by Kota Kinabalu Funei Li Taiji Sabah Malaysia and Tacfit Borneo, a fashion show by local designers, performing arts championships, and a charity concert.
Present at the press conference were Kota Kinabalu City Hall director-general Junainah Abbie, Sabah Tourism Board chief executive officer Noredah Othman and Sabah Association of Tour and Travel Agents chairman Datuk Seri Winston Liaw.