KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 — Businesswoman Eunice Wong proved that age and experience can be strengths after being crowned Miss Universe Malaysia 2026 at the grand finale of the prestigious pageant here last night.

Wong, 37, fended off stiff competition from 12 other finalists to claim the latest ‘Star of the East’ crown, earning her the responsibility of representing Malaysia at the Miss Universe 2026 pageant in Puerto Rico next month.

Meanwhile, mother of three Sapphire Wong, from Sarawak, was named first runner-up, while Amreet Kaur from Perak and Emanuelle Mah from Bukit Jalil here finished third and fourth, respectively.

Speaking at a press conference after the event, Wong expressed gratitude for the achievement, saying her hard work and sacrifices throughout the competition had finally paid off.