KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is set to crown its first ever Miss Plus World Malaysia (MPWM) and Miss Plus Intercontinental Malaysia in December this year.

The winners will be picked among 26 finalists from over 800 participants during a two-day audition that took place at the Sunway Putra Hotel in August.

14 finalists will be vying for the 2020 MPWM crown, while another 12 will fight for the 2020 Miss Plus Intercontinental Malaysia title.

Winners of the respective crowns will represent Malaysia at the international stage of the Miss Plus World pageant in Texas, in the United States of America next year.

MPWM executive national director Ziinine AS Britshi said the pageantry aims to promote continuous physical and humanitarian activities, and also healthy lifestyle through education and opportunities.

“We are dedicated to promoting, elevating and celebrating the accomplishments and humanitarian services of women from across the country.

“Through this search and pageantry, we aim to create a sisterhood bond of confident and influential women who share their cultures with each other and the world as they promote education, peace, wellness, and worldwide appreciation of diversity.

“Our selected finalists will be the role models of equity, leadership, and elegance,” he said in a press conference recently.

In collaboration with Malaysia World News, Sunway Putra Hotel and C&N Productions, MPWN will hold the Grand Finale Gala Night at the Sunway Putra Hotel on Dec 12 to crown two beautiful Malaysian plus size ladies in the hopes that they will bring back the international Miss Plus World crown home.

Prior to the finalè, the finalists will visit a range of welfare homes around the country and raise funds for selected Down syndrome children as well as children from underprivileged homes.

The finalists will also undergo two months of intensive training sessions including catwalk, styling, public speaking, learning about global diplomacy and peace, community engagement as well as humanitarian work.

The finalists of the 2020 MPWM are Melissa Tyndall, Aleena Shahman, Helenah Abdul Hatta, Jeishwari Balbir Singh, Nicol Gomez, Punitha Peruma, Nadia Rosli, Tun Fiqa, Emilia Josephine Masiun, Abiramy Ramasamy, Dayshendri P Pecquan, Lianne Alychia Hendriks, Belinda Halime and Maira Tajudin.

Meanwhile, the finalists of the 2020 Miss Plus Intercontinental Malaysia are Shakti Chhabra, Zuria Salmi Nik Mat, Jasvin Kaur, Riena Azmi, Zeenat Malik, Ratanamala Thannimalay, Shahrizad Ismail, Sugitha Kunjanman, Eliza Fiza Zulkifle, Kristen Priya Pillai, Zulieanna Piaruddin and Jastina Mohd Junus.

Apart from being in the running for the respective crowns, winners will also be awarded with the MPWM Humanitarian Ambassadorship from Kiwanis and bestowed the most photogenic contestants with the subsidiary title of “2020 MPWM Covergirl 2020”.