Kuala Lumpur: A Malaysian beauty queen was stripped of her coveted title after a video of her dancing on a holiday in Thailand flooded social media. Viru Nikah Terinsip, 24, returned her title hours before the Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan made the call to strip her of the crown, The Independent reported.
According to reports, Terinsip was seen “dancing suggestively with scantily clad male dancers”. This comes at an unfortunate time for the beauty queen, who won the Unduk Ngadau Johor title in 2023. The pageant is held to commemorate the spirit of Huminodun, a mythological maiden believed to have a beautiful heart, mind and soul.
Kitingan said this would not have been an issue if Terinsip was just an ordinary person. "There were a lot of mixed reactions, some saw the humour in her video, some sympathised, others were unhappy and complained. We [KDCA] do not want to be the target and attract unnecessary attention. We hope that she will accept this decision well... Let this serve as a warning to all Unduk Ngadaus to not repeat the mistake," he told local media.
'We were made to understand that she went on a private holiday with her family to Thailand. We do silly things and get carried away when holidaying. If the video did not go viral, no one would know it happened,'' he added.
Renouncing her crown, Terinsip posted a video on social media saying she would like to return the title, “with honour and humbleness”. "I joined the Unduk Ngadau competition by my own will and returned this title without coercion. I respect my decision. The title is not everything. It is about believing and valuing myself," she said.
The Malaysian beauty queen further asserted that she was not perfect and "everyone makes mistakes". “Most importantly, please leave my family and friends out 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 added.
She also expressed gratitude for the support she has received from other netizens and urged them to "move forward" and focus on more pressing issues.
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