Miss Singapore Pageant Finalists traumatised by netizens' hurtful remarks, receive counselling

The organiser of the Miss Singapore Beauty Pageant, ERM Singapore Marketing, has arranged for counselling sessions for the finalists after they were reportedly traumatised by the hurtful remarks made by some netizens. 

According to Shin Min Daily News, some of the finalists have been afraid to make public appearances after the incident. 

Others would feel nervous the moment when they see someone taking out their phones, thinking that they were being photographed or filmed. 

This comes after a turbulent July, where netizens criticised 16 of the 19 finalists, saying they were ‘ugly’ and ‘repulsive’. 

One finalist even received feedback saying that her appearance was the result of a hit-and-run accident. 

A fellow finalist told reporters that the victim suffered from an anxiety disorder and was afraid to go out, even missing three days of training. 

Said the 19-year-old:

“When we knew about her condition, we felt saddened by the negativity of the netizens.

“They have hurt our pride.”

A spokesman for ERM Singapore Marketing revealed that as a result of the harsh criticism, some of the finalists get nervous when they see someone else taking a phone, unsure if they are being photographed.

She added:

“Some of the finalists are still young and may not know how to cope with the negative remarks. 

“So the company organised for counsellors to help them rediscover their confidence a week after the incident.“