Malaysia To Host Mrs Universe.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will be hosting the Mrs Universe 2014 pageant with participants from Muslim countries next year in the wake of a fatwa prohibiting Malaysian Muslims from participating in such contests. A spokesman for KL Sogo said the company would be the primary sponsor for the event here.
 "KL Sogo will be the primary sponsor for the international pageant if it is held here next year as announced in Aruba, Venezuela, last month after this year's contest,' she told theSun.
 This year's competition last month saw Pakistan and Bangladesh, both Muslim nations, taking part in the contest.
 Reigning Mrs Malaysia Universe Carol Lee (pic), who was crowned Mrs Universe 2013 on Aug 11, making her the first Asian to win the international beauty queen title, said the announcement about Malaysia being the host next year was made after the contest.
 "I confirm that the 2014 Mrs Universe finals will be held in Malaysia. As for the date, venue, organizers or sponsors, they have not been finalized yet," said Lee.
 The 39-year-old news presenter, who is the ambassador for KL Sogo, was proud that Malaysia had been chosen to host the major global event.
 The fatwa prohibiting Muslim women from joining beauty pageants was issued and gazetted under the Federal Territories Islamic Administration Act in February 1996.
 The Fatwa Council came down hard recently on four Muslim finalists of the Miss Malaysia World 2013 pageant, forcing them to drop out of the contest.
 The council had reportedly said beauty pageants are "haram" or not permissible under the Administration of Islamic Laws Act of 1996, and the participation of Muslim women in the contest would "insult Islam". Former beauty queen and Miss Malaysia World official pageant organizer Datuk Anna Lim did not feel that Malaysia hosting the Mrs Universe 2014 here would be a problem despite the participation of foreign Muslim contestants.
 "They do not want Muslim women to participate; It is not my call to say whether the Muslim women should participate or not."
 The Mrs Universe pageant is touted as recognition of the "most honorable married woman" and is awarded to women aged between 25 and 45, taking into account family and career as well as involvement in a significant cause.
 Lee, a mother of a nine-year-old daughter, garnered almost 100,000 public votes online, beating beauty queens from 31 other countries at the pageant, themed "Stop Domestic Violence".