20/06/2026

SATURDAY | JUNE 20, 2026

COMMUNITY 7

Gala night of heritage in motion

K UALA LUMPUR: In a landmark evening that celebrated the living traditions, craftsmanship and cultural identity of Malaysia, Salynna Kum, 30, representing Kuala Lumpur, was recently crowned Miss Heritage Global Malaysia 2026. She will become the first woman to carry the national title to the upcoming Miss Heritage Global World Final. Amelia Kaur, 19, from Penang was crowned Cultural Ambassador (1st Runner-Up) while Emilianna Chieng, 26, of Sarawak won the title of Tourism Ambassador (2nd Runner-Up). The grand finale gala night organised by Nova Elite Productions Sdn Bhd was held at the iconic Majestic Hotel here on May 30. Tourism Malaysia senior director Wizani Rosmin described the event as more than a pageant’ saying: It is a platform that empowers young individuals to appreciate, understand and represent Malaysia’s rich cultural diversity, traditions and heritage with confidence, knowledge and pride. Heritage is not just our identity. It is a formidable economic driver,” he said. The finalists were challenged to reconnect with their roots, deepen their understanding of the respective communities and traditions, and step forward as genuine advocates for their culture and identity. They went through three rounds that each tested a different dimension of

o Pageant affirms commitment of Malaysia to intangible cultural diversity on world stage

what it means to be a heritage advocate in Malaysia today. The National Costume Round was the standout moment of the evening, drawing sustained applause as the finalists took the stage in pieces designed by Ain Mohamad, whose work has long celebrated the breadth of Malaysian cultural identity. The Traditional Wear Round that followed saw each finalist in songket kebaya , dressed by Shashas Designer of Penang. The final round was the Q&A segment, in which finalists drew questions at random and were given moments to respond in front of the judging panel, their families and an audience of industry and government figures. The questions ranged from the role of young Malaysians in cultural preservation to how women can create change in society, how heritage can inspire innovation and what message Malaysia would send to the world. Miss Heritage Global Malaysia 2026 is the country’s first national pageant dedicated to the documentation, promotion and preservation of intangible cultural heritage. The final round will be held from Aug 7 to 13 in Da Nang and Hue, Vietnam, with the grand final on Aug 12.

Salynna flanked by Amelia (left) and Emilianna during the announcement of winners at the event.

Women cricketeers spark awe among locals and expatriates

KUALA LUMPUR: It is not always that one sees cricket being played in Malaysia. It is even rarer to see women engaged in the sport in this part of the world. Recently, a special tournament was held for women cricketeers here, at which participants of various ages were seen swinging bats and attempting spin bowling with the cricket ball. The event at the IWK eco park was graced by Malaysian Cricket Association president Mahinda Vallipuram and CEO Dinesh Muthuraman. The OFBJP Women Wing Cricket Tournament turned out to be one of the largest expatriate women cricket tournaments in Malaysia. Held competitively in an atmosphere of conviviality, the tournament featured league and final matches, with a vibrant awards ceremony at the end. It featured eight teams consisting of 75 players with diverse

participants representing different states of India as well as communities from across Malaysia. The event brought together women in a celebration of sportsmanship, teamwork, unity and community spirit. The winning team was Regal Stickers and first runner-up was Smashing Stickers followed by second runner-up Josh. The hundreds of participants, supporters and guests present on the ground created a vibrant and energetic atmosphere throughout the day. The tournament reflected a commitment to promote women’s wellbeing, health, fitness and community engagement while strengthening bonds among the Indian diaspora and locals in Malaysia through sports. The teams also took full advantage of the opportunity to celebrate cultural unity and diaspora engagement.

Sivanesan (with garland) presenting the state allocation to Amaluddin (centre). – P. CHANDRA SAGARAN/THESUN State sponsors football tourney for Tamil schools

Ű P.CHANDRA SAGARAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

(T) Ayer Tawar 3-0. Sivanesan said he will liaise with the state Education director to discuss the matter and issue show-cause letters to the headmasters and have a meeting on why they declined to participate. “The Perak Tamil School Headmasters Association should also give an explanation,“ he added. Tamil schools in the state and the association had received allocations from the state, federal governments and elected representatives for various programmes, activities and repair works to their buildings. He added that four schools in his state assembly constituency of Sungkai also failed to send teams. He stressed that the headmasters should remember that the competition is to nurture young talents who can go forward to represent the state and country, with the full financial backing of the Perak government.

competition for boys and girls was organised by the Perak Indian Football Association for the 18th time. The event also serves as a platform to select players and teams for the national tournament. Present were soccer legend Datuk M. Karathu and Perak Indian Football Association president Datuk Amaluddin Mohd Ismail. According to Sivanesan, there are 134 Tamil schools in Perak, of which only 28 teams participated. Of the 14 Tamil schools in Ipoh city, only two sent teams. In contrast, 61 teams had taken part in last year’s tournament. A total 15 boys and 13 girls competed, with SJK (T) Batak Rabit emerging winner in the boys final after they defeated SJK(T) Nova Scotia 4-0 to lift the Datuk A. Sivanesan Trophy. In the girls final, SJK (T) Cashwood grabbed the Beevi Jewellers Trophy after they beat SJK

IPOH: Perak executive councillor Datuk A. Sivanesan has called for Tamil school headmasters who did not send their soccer teams to a free competition held at the Ipoh Padang on June 14 to explain themselves. “When the school managements need allocations for various activities and repair works, they will approach me. But they declined to send the boys and girls to the tournament. “The state government had allocated RM30,000 for the purpose. Everything is free. The state has been giving the allocation since 2023. “The headmasters must bear in mind the tournament is fully supported by the state. Why the indifferent attitude?” The nine-a-side under-12

The eight teams consisted of 75 players from diverse communities.