BEAUTIES IN HOT SOUP: 3 Muslim contestants to be grilled by Jawi

MALAYSIA - Three of the four Muslim contestants dropped from the Miss Malaysia World beauty pageant will be hauled up for questioning.

This comes after the Federal Territories mufti Wan Zahidi Wan said their participation was sinful and haram.

The Federal Territories Islamic Affairs Department (Jawi) said it will be questioning Miss Miera Sheikh, 19, Miss Wafa Johanna De Korte, 19, and Miss Katrina Ridzuan, 23, according to a Berita Harian report yesterday.

Miss Miera Sheikh told the daily that she was prepared to be questioned.

"I have not done anything wrong, so there is nothing for me to be afraid of if they want me to come forward for investigation," she was quoted as saying.

Jawi director Che Mat Che Ali said the investigation is a reminder to those questioning fatwas, which are binding on Muslims and protect the sanctity of Islam.

Earlier, the pageant organiser Anna Lim and Miss Sara Amelia Muhamad Bernard, 20, one of the dropped contestants, had met Jawi officials to discuss the issue, liberal news portal Malaysiakini reported.

During the meeting, Ms Lim said she had highlighted to Jawi representatives that the pageant format was tweaked to suit Malaysia.

"Although we have a swimwear session, Muslim women have the option to wear sports attire," she told the officials.

She also said Miss World 2013 will be held in Indonesia and will not feature a bikini competition.

"They will be wearing either a sarong or a pareo as a mark of respect for local culture," she said.

The programme details of both Miss Malaysia World and Miss World were also submitted to Jawi.

The four women had made the top 20 finalists of Miss Malaysia World 2013, but were later dropped by organisers at the request of religious authorities.

TNP