asiaone
Diva
updated 27 Aug 2011, 18:17
user id password
Sat, Aug 27, 2011
The New Paper
Email Print Decrease text size Increase text size
I know I can't speak well but...
by Shree Ann Mathavan

YOU might have seen the online video making its rounds.

It's no sex tape, but nevertheless this seemingly innocuous question-and-answer session with a beauty queen has generated an online buzz.

The video is a Razor TV interview of Miss Singapore World 2009, Ris Low, 19, which was put on its website prior to her win on 31 Jul.

In it, she responded to questions fielded by the reporter about her style and dress sense.

Originally posted on 8 Jul, the video is still much circulated and watched. On the Razor TV website alone, it's garnered over 16,000 views.

It's also made its way to video-sharing site YouTube, while links can be found on posts on social networking site Facebook and online forums like Hardwarezone.

What's the big deal? Well, nasty comments on this local beauty queen's diction - or lack of it - have been flying fast and furious. Netizens' comments have been overwhelmingly negative.

Take edr's reaction. 'Terrible diction! What's wrong with her speech? She doesn't seem to know what she's talking about or what the reporter is asking.'

Espedine commented: 'Oh my, is this real? What is going on, lol (laughing out loud), she sounds like she has something in her mouth when she's talking and has to think 2-3s (two to three times) before giving a bimbo answer, lol.'

While such comments have been harsh, they aren't bothering this beauty queen, a first-year diploma student at the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS), where she's pursuing courses in hospitality, travel and tourism.

How's she taking the criticism? In a zen-like manner.

She said: 'I didn't look at such comments because that sort of feedback would only pull me down.'

But she admits: 'I wouldn't be really hurt because I know my diction isn't very good. But I am trying to improve, because I want to make Singapore proud.'

Brush up on English



Plans to brush up on her speaking skills include listening to more English news programmes, rehearsing potential questions and speaking in front of a mirror to build her confidence.

She said: 'I have emotionally prepared myself for setbacks. Also, I know my parents and friends support me no matter what.'

She's not the only beauty queen to have been flamed online.

Miss Singapore Universe Rachel Kum recently had a barrage of criticism for certain photos posted online. These saw her posing with a blown-up sex doll and a friend dressed in a phallic-looking costume, amongothers.

Netizens were quick to slam her, saying that they were unbecoming, with some even calling for her to be stripped of her title.

Further afield, foreign beauty queens also have had their share of negative publicity. Take the now de-throned Miss California USA 2009 Carrie Prejean, who was much criticised for her comments about same-sex marriages.

Semi-nude photos of her also appeared on websites and she eventually lost her title due to 'contract violations'.

In Ris' instance, most industry insiders The New Paper on Sunday spoke to called on Singaporeans to be more supportive.

Ms Jackeline Carter, 45, the national director for Miss Intercontinental Singapore, feels Singaporeans should give beauty queens a break.

She said: 'If her (Ris') own country doesn't even support her, how can she go overseas and do well? It's not fair to these girls because they have worked hard.

'It takes a lot of courage to go on stage, they could really do with more support.'

Negative comments make it harder for pageant organisers to attract high-calibre candidates.

Ms Carter said she's approached several potential candidates who turned her down because they were afraid of going on stage only to be ridiculed.

If you think you can do better, do something about it, suggested Ms Carter.

She said: 'Why don't you step up and enter the pageant then?'

Or if you feel Ris doesn't speak well, then sponsor her for vocal training, she suggested.

Likewise, last year's Miss Singapore World, Miss Faraliza Tan, 22, who works in marketing and communications, felt Singaporeans should not write Ris off so easily.

She spoke positively of the winner, saying Ris held her own among the other girls and stood out on stage.

Besides, Miss Tan pointed out: 'She's still young, at 19, and not everyone has the gift of the gab. Give her achance.'

Miss World 2009 will be held in South Africa in December.

During her reign, Miss Tan also faced flak online, with comments like 'Oh my God, she's this year's winner' or 'she's not very pretty'.

Still, she acknowledged that having good communication skills and basic knowledge of your country is important as an ambassador of Singapore.

Hence her suggestion to Ris? React constructively by brushing up on those language skills, she said.

'Take the criticisms and turn it into something positive, don't dwell on it and hold grudges.'

Ms Carter, a trainer at Academy IG, which runs public speaking and deportment courses, was also encouraging.

She said: 'If she goes through communication training and puts in the effort, she can definitely improve in a month.'

Alternatively, Ms Carter suggested that Ris could opt to speak in Mandarin, if she felt more comfortable with that language.

Interpreters



An international pageant like Miss World would allow for interpreters and that could help her confidence, she said.

Nevertheless, others like Mr Bhakt Yap, director of Quest Model Management, feels that being critical of our beauty contestants is essential.

He said: 'We should be harsh so that standards can be tightened. If we are always lax, our pageant standards will never improve. The candidate has got to be smart and articulate, because she's standing on a world stage representing Singapore.'

Having seen the video of Ris through a link sent to him by a friend, he wasn't impressed.

He said: 'I didn't really understand what she was talking about. During the international competition, that would be a problem if she had to go through the question-and-answer segment or be interviewed.'

For others like Mr Sanjay Pala Krishnan, 29, a postgraduate student, Ris is certainly attractive.

He said: 'She is hot, but hopefully she carries herself with more poise during the actual competition.'

Watch the video here: Sexy, naughty, beauty queen

This article was first published in The New Paper

readers' comments
The ones who are really mocking her are those who chose her to represent Singapore . We are not mocking her english but it is simply too unnerving to hear her speak like an alien , not mouthing her words at all.

The judges know her inability to command the english langauge and they decided to put her in the limelight , aren't they just as cruel and mocking ?


She should be prepped and preened to standard to compete in a international beauty contest by the organisers and failing to do so , its as bad as allowing your good friend to continue speaking with a huge piece of spinach stuck between her front teeth .
Posted by niederanven on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 at 14:01 PM
Don't Singapore want to win in this contest ? You have to choose the best individual for the job and not what is representative of the masses in Singapore....
Didn't we learn about meritocracy ? Blame it on a poor quality pool of judges.
Posted by Vincent_Teo on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 at 13:30 PM
Yeah, kudos to you,"wat2do", on your joke. I had a good laugh. I do feel a little sorry for Miss Low but honestly, she should know better than to enter a contest, knowing that she can't speak well, to make a fool of herself. My husband and I cringed when we saw the video clip of her interview. So terrible!
Posted by malinablu on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 at 13:21 PM


Hahahaha...you made me raugh untill my tears drop..dat was farni:D
Posted by abideh on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 at 11:47 AM
Year after year, we send 'Ah Sohs' to the Ms Universe contest. This has to do with the organisers of the competition who are sometimes on the lookout for some 'willing' contestant. So we end up with a low class representative of Singapore women.

This indeed is a form of corruption and it may be worthwhile for the government to investigate the conduct of such contests.
Posted by terkan on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 at 10:20 AM
I would outrightly disagree with the interviewees of The Sunday Times article claiming that there's nothing wrong with her English as "isn't this how most Singaporeans speak?".

Definitely not "most Singaporeans"! A handful of Singaporeans do speak in this manner but it is not "most Singaporeans" as proclaimed. This interviewee is obviously a pageant organiser is all out to defend her selection of embarassing national representative.

Even if "Singlish" is exchanged amongst casual Singaporeans, many of us do know when to use Singlish and when to opt for proper English.

A national representative, what more at an international beauty pageant - she is not an ordinary Singaporean who can choose to use Singlish to represent our characteristics.

If "Singlish" to her is the norm, she is outright dumb. She should color her hair blonde to complete herself.
.....
Posted by firstaugust on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 at 22:06 PM
I think speaking English like the way she knows how is better than those who spent 12 schooling years in Singapore and 3 years abroad but come back speaking like they were brought up in England or USA all their life. Nothing is being said that you must be very eloquent in English to be a Miss World potential. She should have spoken in dialect or any of the Singapore languages if she wanted to....
Posted by VeryTheChum on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 at 19:59 PM
hey hey !

There's a facebook page just for Ris! It's called the
Booms Fan Club! It's hilarious but it mocks her english like crazy.

MrBrown is also on it. hahaha!
Posted by Rkuchiki on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 at 18:12 PM
Using a language not of her owns is clearly a disadvantage; unless Ms Low is not able to express herself well in any chosen language.


I believe the organiser has interpreters and translators for non-native English speaking participants, so that they could choose a language they are comfortable with to compete on equal footing.

The issue is, Singapore is a multi-lingual’s nation, so why a Chinese-Singaporean (likewise for a Malay Singaporean or Indian Singaporean) not using Chinese (Malay /Tamil) to compete and makes the best out of what she is for the country?


Multi-linguals and officially recognised is what makes Singapore Unique, not English.
Posted by newlandgoldman on Sun, 6 Sep 2009 at 15:58 PM
Remember, English is not our native tongue.
Not everyone is like LKY who has the opportunity to practice it to such proficiency that even the Englishman kowtow to him.
Given time someday this young lass might have someone kowtow as well.
Regards,
Laurence Lim
Posted by ausheaven on Wed, 2 Sep 2009 at 17:41 PM

asiaone
Copyright © 2011 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn. No. 198402868E. All rights reserved.