Di sebalik berang dan rasa kecewa, Pengarah Kebangsaan Miss Universe Malaysia Elaine Daly turut melihat sisi positif daripada penyertaan Miss Malaysia Shweta Sekhon.

Elaine juga berkata Shweta tetap menjadi pemenang di matanya dan seluruh rakyat Malaysia.

“Kepada semua yang mengucapkan tahniah dan buat kami rasa istimewa, terima kasih.

“Shweta dan pakaian kebangsaan yang dipakainya sentiasa menjadi pemenang bagi kami.

“Maksud saya, kita berjaya buatkan semua mata tertumpu pada Malaysia dan kita dapat tunjukkan budaya dan warisan kita kan?” tulisnya.

Elaine Daly 

Kontroversi bermula apabila hos pertandingan mengumumkan Miss Filipina Gazini Ganados sebagai pemenang kategori pakaian kebangsaan terbaik.

Bagaimanapun, hanya Shweta dipanggil bersedia di atas pentas.

Shweta membetulkan bahawa dia dari Malaysia dan hos kemudian menyalahkan telepanduan yang disediakan padanya.

Bagaimanapun, beberapa jam selepas itu, Miss Universe di media sosial mereka berkata hos mereka tidak membuat sebarang kesalahan.

Shweta dan hos pertandingan 

Pengumuman itu menimbulkan rasa marah warga maya yang melihat perkwa itu tidak profesional dan tidak seharusnya berlaku.

Dalam status panjang berjela di Instagram itu juga, Elaine menzahirkan rasa “teramat kecewa: dengan apa yang berlaku.

Elaine mendedahkan beliau menulis surat kepada Presiden Miss Universe Paula Shugart bagi meminta pengesahannya.

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I am extremely disappointed at how the Best National Costume announcement at Miss Universe has come to this. A few hours ago, during the live telecast just after the opening round, Shweta was asked to go backstage to change into her National Costume for it to be showcased as Best National Costume, and that’s what she did, and conducted interviews as well. When she came out, the host Steve Harvey announced Philippines as the winner and even when he approached to talk to Shweta, he still assumed he was talking to Philippines she of course corrected him and said it was Malaysia and not Philippines. And she continued to explain her costume. Malaysia, who has never been placed at Miss Universe nor won anything, rejoiced! 4 hours later, we found out via Twitter that Miss Philippines was the actual winner. I have taken sometime to reply anyone because I was waiting for an explanation from the Miss Universe Organisation. So I emailed Paula - the President and asked her to please clarify, Paula replied me and said that Philippines won the online voting, but the producing staff backstage picked their favorite and wanted to showcase her. However this was not explained on the show. To everyone who watched it, it was like as if Malaysia had won. Because why would you put a delegate in her costume, have her do interviews and then tell her that she actually didn’t win but was just the producing staff’s choice . I’m speechless but it is what it is. To all of you who have congratulated and made us feel special, I thank you. Shweta and her national costume will always be a winner to us. I mean, we did get all eyes on Malaysia and we got to show off our culture and heritage right?

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Katanya, Shugart menjelaskan kemenangan itu milik Filipina dan berkata kakitangan penerbitan yang mahu menunjukkan peserta kegemaran mereka.

“Saya kelu, tapi itulah yang berlaku,” katanya.

Pakaian Sekhon bertemakan warisan masyarakat Peranakan Malaysia direka oleh Carven Ong.

Malaysia belum pernah menang dalam sebarang kategori dipertandingkan dalam acara itu.