MALAYSIANSKINI | Charity has always been a passion for 35-year-old V Kokila Vaani, but she knew she needed to have platforms in order to champion her causes.

“Law and (beauty) pageantry are probably the best two avenues for this,” she told Malaysiakini in an interview.

Kokila can certainly affirm this first hand as she was not only Miss Asia Millennium Universe 2019 but also the first woman and the youngest person to head the Selangor Bar in its 56-year history.

She says her desire to help people is what drove her to compete in both the Miss Asia Millennium Universe beauty pageant as well as run for the position of the Selangor Bar chair in 2021.

However, when she did decide to run for the latter position, she was advised – whether jokingly or out of real concern – that she should perhaps drop out of the race or try again next year.

But Kokila, who had previously served as a committee member for the Selangor Bar for six years, remained undeterred as she believed she had a lot to contribute if she were able to helm the top post.

This especially as the country was in the midst of fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and ordinary citizens were struggling to cope with a sluggish economy.

“The pandemic changed all of us in many ways. The pandemic made me realise […] that many members (of the Bar) were also suffering financially because we are in the service industry as well.

“My priority for this term, after winning the election, would be bread and butter issues and improving the welfare of the members,” she said in the phone interview.

On Feb 24, 2021, Kokila defeated...