The Miss Universe Organization has disassociated itself from its Indonesian franchisee and will be canceling an upcoming pageant in Malaysia. This decision comes in the wake of contestants' complaints to the police, alleging incidents of sexual harassment by local organizers.
In a statement released on Saturday, the New York-based organization declared its intention to sever connections with PT Capella Swastika Karya and its national director, Poppy Capella.
A group of six contestants participating in the Miss Universe Indonesia pageant recently filed formal complaints with the police. These complaints alleged that local organizers had instructed them to undress to their underwear for "body checks," purportedly for evaluating scars or cellulite. This inspection took place in a room containing around two dozen people, including men. Five of the contestants further claimed that they were subsequently photographed without tops on.
"In light of the events that have come to our attention regarding Miss Universe Indonesia, it has become evident that this franchise has failed to uphold our brand's standards and ethics," stated the Miss Universe Organization on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
The organization further announced its decision to cancel the upcoming Miss Universe Malaysia for this year. This move follows as the Indonesian franchisee, which has been implicated in the controversy, also possesses the license for the Malaysian pageant. The organization has outlined plans to arrange for the Indonesia 2023 titleholder to participate in the Miss Universe pageant scheduled to take place in El Salvador later this year.
The Miss Universe Indonesia pageant occurred from July 29 to August 3, aimed at selecting Indonesia's representative for the 2023 Miss Universe competition. The victor of this pageant was Fabienne Nicole Groeneveld.
PT Capella Swastika Karya, an Indonesian beauty enterprise, assumed control of the Miss Universe Indonesia license in March. This transfer took place from Yayasan Putri Indonesia or YPI, an Indonesian foundation that had held the license for three decades.
The company's founder, Poppy Capella, refuted any connection to the physical examination that occurred during the contest and stressed her opposition to all forms of "violence and sexual harassment."
"As the National Director and holder of the Miss Universe Indonesia license, I had no involvement whatsoever and was completely unaware of, instructed, or permitted any individual who was part of the Miss Universe Indonesia 2023 process to engage in acts of violence or sexual harassment through the body checking process," she conveyed in a post on social media on Saturday night.
Hengki Haryadi, the Director of General Crimes at the Jakarta police, revealed on Sunday that during a Miss Universe Indonesia pageant hosted in the capital city, Jakarta, the victims were coerced into disrobing and subsequently photographed in the nude for a physical examination, which took place in a hotel ballroom.
"These victims were compelled to undress and assume inappropriate poses for the purpose of body checking, which has left them traumatized," Haryadi stated.
He further mentioned that the police are currently reviewing footage from surveillance cameras located at the venue. The investigators are set to conduct interviews with the victims and offer psychological support, he added.
In their statement issued on Saturday, the Miss Universe Organization emphasized that there are no mandatory measurements involving aspects like height, weight, or body dimensions for participation in any Miss Universe pageant across the globe. The organization expressed gratitude towards the Indonesian contestants who demonstrated courage in raising their voices.
Addressing the women who came forward from the Indonesian pageant, the statement conveyed an apology for their distressing encounter with the organization. Additionally, the Miss Universe Organization revealed their intent to assess their existing franchise agreement and policies, aiming to prevent such conduct from transpiring in the future on a global scale.
Controversy surrounding the pageant has been escalating within Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation. Indonesia has earned a reputation as a tolerant and pluralistic society that upholds freedom of expression. While the majority of Muslims in Indonesia, a secular country with a population of 277 million, adhere to moderation, a small hard-line faction has grown more vocal in recent years.
In 2013, a number of conservative Muslim groups organized a significant protest against the Miss World competition in Indonesia. As a result, the event was relocated from Jakarta to the resort island of Bali. Furthermore, all of the over 130 contestants were required to wear Bali's traditional long sarongs, as opposed to the revealing bikinis that have been a historical component of the competition.
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