Maya flanked by Dianarin (left) and Febby. – Photo by Aizad Abdullah
KOTA KINABALU: Api-Api Unduk Ngadau, Maya Hejnowska, was crowned as this year’s State Unduk Ngadau.
Maya, the daughter of Borneo Post reporter Jenne Lajiun, won the main prize of RM66,830 which includes RM15,000 in cash and scholarship. She will serve as an ambassador of Sabah products under the Industrial Development Ministry.
She is presently a student of music at Universiti Malaysia Sabah and is an enterprising young woman who bakes cookies to sell, among other things.
Prior to the finals Maya said that there were many strong contenders in the contest and wanted to do her best.
“I am giving it my everything,” she said before the finals.
Maya has two brothers and is the second child. Her father is Polish while her mother is Kadazan.
She grew up in a Kadazan-speaking household and surrounded by cousins who also grew up speaking the mother tongue.
The second prize winner, Dianarin Vahidin, hails from Paginatan.
Dianarian aspires to become an officer in agriculture and recently completed her training in agriculture studies.
“I am currently working for a company in my village dealing with road construction works,” she said.
Dianarin walks away with RM45,280 worth of prizes.
The third place went to Febby Angelica Richard of Kundasang who won RM32,980 worth in prizes.