Miss Universe grateful for Indonesia's invitation
Miss Universe grateful for Indonesia's invitation
JAKARTA (JP): Miss Universe 2000 Lara Dutta from India
expressed her gratitude on Friday for the invitation to visit
Indonesia, the first of her international trips after winning the
title.
"Thank you for inviting me to your beautiful country. It's a
visit that I will treasure forever," Dutta wrote in the guest
book.
"I can't express how grateful I am to be invited here," she
later told Governor Sutiyoso at a welcoming ceremony at City
Hall.
"I must also thank you all for such a warm reception and the
hospitality I have received here."
Accompanied by businesswoman Mooryati Sudibyo, who holds the
Miss Universe franchise in Indonesia, she aired similar views
when she later spoke to The Jakarta Post.
Sutiyoso told reporters after the ceremony that Dutta's visit
could help boost Indonesia's poor image.
"Dutta told me that she was surprised to see conditions here,
which are not as nasty as reported by the international media,"
the governor said.
"I also asked her to help spread the news that Indonesia is
doing just fine," he added.
When asked why she chose Indonesia as her first stop, Dutta
said she liked the country.
Her travel manager, Linda Harold, admitted that there were
many invitations from other countries.
"However, the decision was made by the Miss Universe Inc.
after discussing the matter with Dutta and I," she said.
Meanwhile, Mooryati said the reason for Dutta's visit was that
it coincided with the Miss Indonesia pageant.
"It's also a form of support for Indonesia, which has been
absent in the contest for the last four years," she said.
When asked whether Indonesian girls would stand a chance in
the Miss Universe contest, Dutta said, "they all are qualified to
join the contest."
"The girls here are beautiful and intelligent. They have all
the qualifications to join the contest. But unfortunately, the
Indonesian government doesn't allow them to participate," she
said.
Mooryati said she had yet to send a participant from Indonesia
to participate in the contest.
"Now, we are more concerned with our country's condition as
the number of tourists here is decreasing," she said.
Also present at the ceremony were 30 finalists of the Miss
Indonesia 2000 pageant from 27 provinces. Jakarta sends five
finalists while the provinces of North Maluku and Maluku only
send one finalist. Dutta will crown the winning contestant in a
ceremony at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, East Jakarta.
Sutiyoso reminded the finalists that the contest was not just
about physical beauty.
"You have to show your dedication, personality and
intellectual ability, as well as a broad perspective," she told
the finalists in a speech.
"You must also be ready to carry out the tasks to help develop
our culture and tourism," he added.
The welcoming ceremony was marked with songs. Sutiyoso sang
the Bee Gee's I Started a Joke, Mooryati sang Let It be Me, while
Dutta delivered a very popular Indian song here, Saman Kamahena.
The prestige of having a Miss Universe in the city was
tarnished by small quarrels between reporters posted at City Hall
and security guards from the organizing committee.
The guards seemed to be excessively protecting Dutta while
blocking reporters from taking pictures or asking her questions.
Security guards cornered a photographer who was trying to take
a picture of Dutta inside City Hall's guest room. A reporter was
grabbed when he tried to approach the beauty queen. (nvn)