PENAMPANG: An online petition protesting to the Unduk Ngadau pageant this year being monetized started after it was announced that those supporting their favourite contestants would have to pay 50 sen for each vote to get them to be in the top 21 spots.
The petition which was started by ‘Orang Kampung’ said that monetizing the pageant which is the highlight of the annual Pesta Kaamatan is unfair to the contestants, especially those who have high potential to be crowned the fairest of them all.
It also said that getting people to buy the votes at this time when the economy of the rakyat is unstable due to the Covid-19 pandemic is a burden to their finances.
“The Unduk Ngadau pageant is to remind us of Huminodun’s sacrifice for the people, however, monetizing the event reflects the unfairness in the judging of who will win the title,” the petition stressed.
Through the online petition, Orang Kampung hopes the organiser will use a judging system that is fair and not a burden to the rakyat and added, “please don’t turn the Pesta Kaamatan into an ‘easy money’ platform.
The petition pointed out that for some of the contestants, the experience of joining the pageant may help change their live to a better one.
On Saturday, UNK Borderless Kaamatan chairperson Joanna Datuk Kitingan said before voters are able to cast their votes for their favourite Unduk Ngadau of this year’s 79 state-level contestants, they must first purchase their voting tickets.
Joanna explained that the qualification criteria for the top 21 will consist of public votes (60 percent) and preliminary judging by professional judges (40 percent).
She said that the voting started on May 22, 2021 at 2.30pm and would end of May 25, 2021 (Tuesday) at 12 noon.
In the past, all district-evel Unduk Ngadau would be given the recognition and honour to be at the State finals.