A Malaysian beauty queen has been stripped of her title after a video of her dancing suggestively with male dancers while on holiday in Thailand went viral.
Viru Nikah Terinsip was seen ‘dancing suggestively with scantily clad male dancers’ in footage that went viral on social media, according to Asia One.
The 24-year-old made a public apology for the video on Monday and offered to return her title hours before officials confirmed she would lose her honours.
The Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) formally withdrew her Unduk Ngadau Johor title, president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan noting ‘this would not be an issue if she was just an ordinary person’.
‘We were made to understand that she went on a private holiday with her family to Thailand,’ he explained. ‘We do silly things and get carried away when holidaying.’
‘There were a lot of mixed reactions, some saw the humour in her video, some sympathised, others were unhappy and complained,’ he added, according to The Star. ‘We [KDCA] do not want to be the target and attract unnecessary attention.’
Earlier on Monday, Ms. Terinsip had said she would like to return the title ‘with honour and humbleness’, adding that she ‘joined the Unduk Ngadau competition by my own will and returned this title without coercion’
‘The title is not everything. It is about believing and valuing myself,’ she continued, according to The New Strait Times.
‘I am not perfect… Everyone makes mistakes.’
The young model thanked the public for their support and said everyone should ‘focus on other issues and move forward’ from the furore.
She also requested people not target her family and friends, as they are ‘not involved in this matter’.
‘It is up to you whether you would accept [my explanation] or not, but this comes sincerely from my heart. Thank you for listening,’ she said.
President Kitingan said in his statement: ‘We hope that she will accept this decision well. Let this serve as a warning to all Unduk Ngadaus to not repeat the mistake.’
Ms Terinsip won the Unduk Ngadau Johor title last year, at a pageant event featured at the annual harvest festival in Sabah, northern Borneo.
The competition is held to commemorate the spirit of Huminodun, a mythological character representing kindness and wisdom.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
