SEPANG: It was a happy Sunday for Miss Uganda Sheila Kirabo, who was crowned as the first Miss Joyful KLIA.
This is a newly introduced subsidiary title of Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International World.
Kirabo, who will be the face to represent KLIA, said:
“Just as music is the soul to the body, a smile is the tonic to the face.”
“Smile and you’ll become younger,” said the self-described “happy person”, adding that having a positive attitude is a great way to live life.
“Everyone wants to have a happy person in his or her presence,” she said.
The 23-year-old interior and fashion design student said that she was stunned when her name was called out by pageant host, Malaysian TV personality Hansen Lee.
“The win was so much of a shock to me. I didn’t expect it,” she said, adding that she was overjoyed to be chosen among the 57 “beautiful women” in the competition.
She said that she wanted to project the spirit of joyfulness during her tenure as Miss Joyful KLIA.
Kirabo, who lives in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, will be in Malaysia until the finale of Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International World on Thursday.
She said that she enjoyed Malaysian food so far although it could be “a tad too spicy” for her.
“My favourite is teh tarik,” she added.
The Ugandan beauty will be working with Malaysia Airports in tourism promotions for KLIA and Malaysia in general.
Malaysia Airports general manager of corporate communications Nik Anis Nik Zakaria said that Kirabo was a favourite with the judges due to her global outlook.
“She has a very international view of airports.
“One of the things she said that attracted us was when she said that the airport should be the centre of culture, where cultures converge and where diversities in cultures are represented,” Nik Anis told The Star.
“We would like to create a joyful personality who is in line with KLIA’s mission which is to provide a joyful experience to passengers,” she added.
Kirabo was crowned by Malaysia Airports board director Jeremy Nasrulhaq, who was also one of the judges for the pageant.
Other judges were Nik Anis, The Star fashion editor Dzireena Mahadzir and Tourism Malaysia north and west Asia director Aznan Sulaiman.
Sponsors of the clothes and accessories for the 57 participants for the pageant were Kashka, Khazanah, and Eraman.
