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)