Viviana Lin receives emotional welcome in Kuching, vows to honour Iban heritage at Miss Grand International
KUCHING (Aug 3): Miss Grand Malaysia (MGM) 2025 Viviana Lin Winston was moved to tears upon receiving a heartfelt welcome from supporters at Kuching International Airport (KIA) this afternoon.
The 25-year-old beauty queen, who made history as the first Sarawakian and Iban woman to win the national title, said she is determined to proudly showcase her heritage on the global stage at Miss Grand International (MGI) 2025 in Bangkok this October.
'First of all, I'm so happy to be here. As the first Sarawakian and Iban lady to win this title, I will do my very best,' she told reporters during a press conference at the airport.
'This is a dream come true, and I truly want to represent my culture at the international level so that people around the world can see what I have to offer.'
When asked to respond to criticism from some netizens regarding the design of her evening gown at the national competition, which was said to be too revealing and unrepresentative of Malaysian culture, Viviana clarified that her outfit was actually inspired by the traditional attire of Iban warriors.
'For the national-level competition, the design I wore was inspired by the Iban warrior. It featured a 'sirat' element, which reflects our culture,' she explained, adding that the final design for her MGI 2025 evening gown will be revealed in due course.
'I'll be working with my team to decide on the next gown. So stay tuned, I'll be revealing it soon,' she added.
Viviana also shared that she would be budgeting the RM15,000 prize money to prepare for the international pageant over the next two months, and aims to use her platform to champion MGI's core advocacy theme, 'Stop the War and Violence.'
On the recent controversy involving another contestant who announced her withdrawal from the Malaysian pageant scene over claims of bias in Viviana's win, MGM National Director Melisha Lin said the individual's actions did not reflect the organisation's values.
'She does not represent what we stand for, nor the work we've done to prepare for the international stage. I have already spoken to our licensor, and we are currently exploring legal options,' she said.
Melisha, who is also a former MGM titleholder herself, called on the public to continue supporting Viviana as she gears up for the international competition.
Also present to show his support at the press conference was Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Datuk Snowdan Lawan. beauty pageant Iban lead Miss Grand Malaysia Viviana Lin Winston
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