DR CHERYL MARIE CORDEIRO-NILSSON , 34
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Year won: 1999
Occupation: Researcher and lecturer of Intercultural Communication and Discourse Analysis at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Marital status: Married to Mr Jan-Erik Nilsson, a Swede
Has winning Miss Singapore Universe been a good move, career-wise?
“It is something that I will always be proud of. My professional interest, however, lies in academia, research and writing. Just last week, I graduated with a PhD in the field of general linguistics. Having been Miss Singapore Universe is pretty much a non-issue with my friends and colleagues.”
How did the public view the pageant the year you won? Has that perception changed?
“Pageants were and still are seen as entertainment, similar to how we would view a sports event, fashion show or reality series. Beauty is an evolving concept and over the years, the young women participating internationally have become more career-oriented and this is reflected in how the local pageants are run.”
What do you think of the pageant now?
“It is a fantastic opportunity as it offers a platform for young women to launch their careers. You learn a lot on the job, learn from other people you meet along the way and you make lifelong friends with other delegates you meet at the international event.
JAIME TEO, 32
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Year won: 2001
Occupation: Fly entertainment artiste
Marital status: Married to Daniel Ong, 987FM DJ
Has winning Miss Singapore Universe been a good move, career-wise?
“I might not have got into the entertainment line if not for the pageant. Since I am still in the media industry, that title does shows up in my bio. But I would not put it in my resume for a job outside of show business though, it just sounds wrong.”
How did the public view the pageant the year you won? Has that perception changed?
“As it was the first live telecast of Miss Singapore Universe, it was a novelty for many people. Some goggled, some admired, others criticised relentlessly. Eunice Olsen has certainly helped improve the profile of the winners after she became an NMP.”
What do you think of the pageant now?
“It would be better if it were still on TV so more people can catch the action.”
NURALIZA OSMAN, 32
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Year won: 2002
Occupation: Legal counsel
Marital status: Single
Has winning Miss Singapore Universe been a good move, career-wise?
“I do not think anybody joins a pageant as a strategic step up the career ladder unless it is your desire to enter show business. It has not affected my career save to reinforce that I truly enjoy being a lawyer and belong in my profession rather than in the world of entertainment.”
How did the public view the pageant the year you won? Has that perception changed?
“It will always remain unchanged, it is up to the participants and winners to define what they want to do with their titles and participation, and how they would like to contribute, using the opportunities given to them.”
What do you think of the pageant now?
“It is a pity that it is no longer televised as I think the pageant celebrates Singaporean women.”
BERNICE WONG-CASEY, 31
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Year won: 2003
Occupation: Full-time mother
Marital status: Married to Mr Anton Casey, a Briton who is now a Singapore permanent resident. They have a son, Caelen, who turned one yesterday
Has winning Miss Singapore Universe been a good move, career-wise?
“You won’t join it to further your career in accountancy, medicine or banking, do you? It does help, however, if you are keen to develop yourself in media-related areas such as TV, radio, fashion and beauty. It has been a good move ‘life-related wise’ as I gained interesting perspectives and exposure to international cultures.”
How did the public view the pageant the year you won? Has that perception changed?
“My year’s competition was one of the strongest in the past nine years. I did not get any flak from the media, which was good. The perception varies from year to year, depending on the standard of the girls.”
What do you think of the pageant now?
“The current Miss Singapore Universe needs all the morale boosting to take her all the way. She has to be able to represent the country well by being confident, articulate and intelligent as well as having the right physical assets.”
SANDY CHUA, 24
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Year won: 2004
Occupation: Full-time mother
Marital status: Married to Mr Collin Tseng. They have two children: Elijah turns two next week and Elyana (left) is nine days old
Has winning Miss Singapore Universe been a good move, career-wise?
“I have never worked full-time but winning has taught me many things and been an eye-opener, especially for someone who won it at 19.”
How did the public view the pageant the year you won? Has that perception changed?
“Like most things in life, there are both positive as well as negative views. I perceive a pageant as an opportunity for young women to achieve personal and humanitarian goals.”
What do you think of the pageant now?
“I have not paid much attention, given how busy I am with my family. But it is a great opportunity for any savvy, attractive and daring young woman to be
a part of.”
JESSICA TAN, 27
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Year won: 2007
Occupation: MediaCorp artiste
Marital status: Dating the same guy for past four years
Has winning Miss Singapore Universe been a good move, career-wise?
“After the pageant, I went back to flying with Singapore Airlines as an air stewardess. It was difficult as people looked at me weirdly and said things like: ‘What is a Miss Singapore doing serving drinks?’ But being in the pageant has exposed me to the media industry so I began working with MediaCorp for a couple of Channel 5 shows. Now, I am playing a top pastry chef in The Ultimatum which will be shown on Channel 8 on May 27.”
How did the public view the pageant the year you won? Has that perception changed?
“It was smooth-sailing. Most Singaporeans do not view the pageant in a positive light, anything outside academia and finance is seen as a waste of time. People still watch just to ridicule contestants.”
What do you think of the pageant now?
“It is pretty much the same. But there is an air of hopelessness as no one really believes any Miss Singapore winner will ever be placed in the finals. We need better support from the locals.”
SHENISE WONG, 26
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Year won: Last year
Occupation: Foreign exchange broker
Marital status: Engaged
Has winning Miss Singapore Universe been a good move, career-wise?
“It brings recognition but one has to utilise the opportunity wisely. To excel in my career takes more than just having a killer body and a face that turns heads. A girl can be pretty but if she does not have the confidence and determination, she will just melt into the crowd.”
How did the public view the pageant the year you won? Has that perception changed?
“As the saying goes, ‘Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder’, so it is different every year. Our fellow countrymen should stand united and be more supportive of our country’s representatives in the pageant world.”
What do you think of the pageant now?
“Pageants are not just about flesh parades. Women are torn between being independent and modern, yet retaining core feminine qualities. Miss Singapore Universe is a celebration of being a modern and strong Singaporean woman.”
This article was first published in The Sunday Times.
