Banggi out due to two claimants
Published on: Sunday, May 28, 2017
Kota Kinabalu: Banggi will not have a representative for Wednesday's Unduk Ngadau (beauty contest) event as the organisers decided not to entertain any in the wake of two girls claiming to be the rightful contestant and a police report being lodged.Two young women turned up for the registration, Saturday, one of whom was announced winner of the district level competition earlier. However, the other also staked her claim, stating that a drunken emcee had slipped up and announced the wrong name that day.Efforts by the State-level Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan organisers to settle the issue came to naught when the supposed winner stood her ground, insisting it should be her and no one else.
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This led to the organisers dropping Banggi from the competition altogether, leaving 44 other aspirants from across the State to vie for the coveted crown.However, the matter did not end there. Some vented their anger in social media, blaming the State-level Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan organising committee. Retny Oning, the crowned Banggi Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan then took to Facebook to clarify the situation. "To my family, supporters and the district of Banggi, I am not able to continue my journey to KDCA as I became a victim of circumstance which has to do with unprofessionalism on the part of the Banggi organising committee and those who are discontented with me."I will not stay quiet as such situation should not have happened and I will file a defamation claim against responsible parties and I will claim for compensation for my preparation such as costume rental, make-up and others," she posted on her personal Facebook account, Saturday evening.
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She also questioned the authenticity of the judges' result sheet that went viral which showed that she was not the winner of the Banggi Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan contest."The Banggi Assistant District Officer had contacted KDCA and we were informed that the competition result cannot be contested after 24 hours following its announcement and I was present when the ADO contacted KDCA.
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"Who spread the 'new' result sheet that caused others to be discontented with the title which I have earned? If the result is true then why was it not announced on the same day? And why didn't the judges and the chairperson of Banggi Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan committee rectify the result immediately?"She said the competition was held on May 21 and that she and her family were, on May 25, informed that the announced result was incorrect when one of the family members of the supposed winner sent her an SMS and informed them about it."The organiser said that when the announcement was made, the emcee was drunk and had announced the result wrongly."Were the judges and the organiser also too drunk to correct the result on the same day?" she asked.Retny further explained that she attended the registration of the State-level Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan as advised by the Banggi ADO who thought that the issue had been resolved."But then KDCA said that a police report was lodged by the supposed winner perhaps because she wanted to claim what is right for her."She said a discussion was then held between her family and her, KDCA committee members and the supposed winner and her family."The supposed winner decided to pursue her intention of disqualifying the participation of Banggi Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan if it is not she who will represent Banggi."However, KDCA committee members said that it would be impossible as I was known to the public as the winner of Banggi Unduk Ngadau," she said.Retny also said that she did ask for the supposed winner's consideration to let her represent Banggi but it was not responded to positively."Eventually, KDCA decided to disqualify the participation of Banggi this year."According to her, KDCA committee members were not at fault as they were only carrying out their duties.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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