Touted as a contest of “beauty, brains, health and Eastern values,” Kamidia Radisti of West Java beat out 33 hopefuls to be crowned Miss Indonesia 2007 Thursday night, 5 July 2007 at the Jakarta Convention Center.
Disti, 23, receive the winning prize of Rp 75 million (US$8,300) in cash and represent Indonesia in Miss World 2007. An avid swimmer who has competed nationally, Kamidia also participated in the 2006 Wajah Femina or Femina Face competition where she was a finalist. She studies economics at Padjadjaran University and is in her sixth semester.
Verna Gladies Merry Ingkiriwang, of Central Sulawesi was crowned first runner up; the 23-year-old medical student at Samratulangi University will receive Rp 35 million.kamidia radisti The second runner-up title went to 23-year-old I Gusti Agung Ary Kusumawardani of Bali, a student of literature at Udayana University. Ary will receive Rp 25 million.
This year’s Miss Indonesia pageant was a prolonged affair with performances from six different singing acts between various segments of the program. Contestants were narrowed down to 10 finalists at the start of the show. The finalists proceeded to answer a series of questions chosen from a glass bowl onstage. Some were thrown relatively soft questions, such as the meaning of smiling or their personal definition of “sexy,” while others received more difficult questions on social issues like teen pregnancy and modernity within the Indonesian archipelago.
kamidia radistiTen contestants soon became five, and another round of questions cut the competition down to Kamidia, Verna and Ary. The final three contestants were all asked the same question, which regarded the loss of cultural assets in Indonesia. Kamidia suggested a weekly tradition for Indonesians to wear different traditional dress, such as kebaya and batik, to keep cultural ties alive.
Three smaller titles were awarded among the other 30 contestants. Dian Ayu Lestari of Maluku was named Miss Persahabatan, or Miss Friendship. Vicky Veranita Yudhasoka of Central Jawa was named Miss Beautiful Skin. Lastly, the title of Miss Favorite, as voted by fans and audience members through kamidia radistiSMSmessaging, went to Jessica Tji of Bangka Belitung, who was also a top-five finalist. All three ladies will receive Rp 15 million in gifts and cash. This November-December, Kamidia will go to Sanya, China to participate in Miss World 2007. Indonesia also holds an annual Putri Indonesia contest, where the winner will represent the country to the Miss Universe pageant.
