KUALA LUMPUR: The Miss Universe Malaysia 2020 event and gala night will be conducted differently this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The organiser plans to live-stream the annual pageant so people can watch it on the Internet.
Miss Universe Malaysia Organisation (MUMO) national director Datin Elaine Daly said the pageant would be conducted on the e-Gala online platform on the Miss Universe Malaysia website on Sept 5, with the show kicking off at 5pm.
"We will conduct the gala night online with e-Gala, which means the event will proceed as usual. But this time, there will be no audience.
"There will only be a panel of judges and contestants present at the competition. By doing so, we are ensuring that everybody is safe and adhering to social distancing measures," she told the New Straits Times.
Daly said despite uncertainties due to the pandemic, the competition was expected to be a great event.
She added that MUMO not only anticipated, but was also looking forward to crown the winner.
"I think it is going to be an exciting and one of a kind event. If everything goes well, next year, we are planning to conduct the competition in the normal way," she added.
She said 18 contestants were vying for the Miss Universe Malaysia 2020 title.
They will participate in dress parades, including evening gowns, and be involved in a question-and-answer session.
With the new approach, Daly said viewers would be able to influence the choice of winners as fans' votes would also count towards determining the next Miss Universe Malaysia 2020.
She said winners of subsidiary titles Miss Body Beautiful and Best In Evening Gown would be determined by the same method.
The panel of judges included actor, director and producer, Datuk Hans Isaac, Glojas by Smart International Aesthetic chief operating officer Datin Selwinder Kaur, La Jung Aesthetic Clinic medical director and aesthetic medical practitioner Dr Nicholas Lim and Miss Universe Malaysia 2012 Deborah Henry.
Others are Carven Ong Couture creative designer Carven Ong, Esthetics International Group director Michelle Lam, Shawn Cutler Group of Salons founder, creative director and celebrity stylist Shawn Loong and jewellery brand Bowerhouse co-founder Elizabeth Lee.
Daly said a virtual press conference would take place on the same day following the conclusion of the gala event.
The winner will represent Malaysia at the Miss Universe competition, receive a cash prize and sponsored prizes with a combined value of RM180,000, and a full education scholarship from HELP University.
The public could watch the live-streamed competition by purchasing tickets to the show on the Miss Universe Malaysia website, with 20 per cent of the proceeds to be channelled to a chosen charity, she said.
Miss Universe Malaysia 2019 winner Shweta Sekhon, 22, said the decision to conduct the event via live-stream was sensible as MUMO prioritised public health and safety.
Shweta said the competition must go on despite the ongoing pandemic.
"Elaine had mentioned that all subsidiary titles would be based on online votes, which will then decide who is the next Miss Universe Malaysia 2020. Whatever happens, it will be aired online."
Despite having no audience at the event, Shweta said she was excited to crown the next winner.