PENAMPANG: When Miss Universe Malaysia 2024 Sandra Lim touched down in Sabah to join this year’s Kaamatan festivities, few expected the reigning queen to blend so seamlessly into the cultural spirit of the harvest festival.
But for the 25-year-old beauty queen and proud Malaysian, it was not just another appearance – it was a deeply personal journey of learning, connecting, and celebrating the richness of Sabah’s indigenous heritage.
Attending the State-level Kaamatan Festival from May 29 to 31, Lim made headlines not just for her title but for donning traditional outfits from various ethnic groups – Murut, Lundayeh and Kadazan Penampang – and even sporting the iconic “sanggul gong” during the State Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan (UNK) finals, a hairstyle synonymous with the cultural pageant.
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.defineSlot('/22826383987/dailyexpress_inline', [1, 1], 'gpt-passback').addService(googletag.pubads());googletag.enableServices();googletag.display('gpt-passback');});“It gives me so much joy and pride to wear these traditional garments, carrying the beautiful history of our people in Sabah,” she said, visibly moved in one of her Instagram posts.
“The efforts by the organisers to preserve and showcase these cultures are incredibly inspiring.”
Lim’s Kaamatan experience was not a mere photo opportunity. From cheering finalists at the Randawi Tavantang Kaamatan (RTK) male pageant to dancing with the crowd at the KDCA hall, she immersed herself in every beat, every bite, and every banner.
“The music, the dance, the food, the people – the experience of a lifetime.
“Thank you for welcoming me with such warmth and love. Makan-makan, menari bersama-sama (Having a meal and dance together), bringing me in like family,” she posted after her walkabout at the KDCA ground on May 30.
Having competed on the world stage just months earlier in Mexico, where she placed in the Top 30 at Miss Universe 2024 – Malaysia’s best result in over half a century – Lim found unexpected resonance in Sabah’s homegrown pageantry scene.
“The whole vibe brought me back to my first international competition in Indonesia. Everyone was so packed and so passionate,” she recalled when met after the UNK 2025 crowning.
Observing the Unduk Ngadau finalists, Lim shared how the magic of pageantry often shines brightest onstage.
“You only see the X-factor when they walk out – the way they carry themselves, talk, smile.
"The winner (Tamparuli's Atitih Yati Robert) was my pick from the start,” she smiled, proving her eye for talent remains sharp.
Lim, who holds a degree in mass communications and has a background in martial arts and modelling, is no stranger to hard work.
Her recent success in Miss Universe 2024, where she dazzled judges with a wushu routine in a national costume inspired by Princess Walinong Sari, brought her international acclaim.
Yet back home, it is her groundedness that endears her most.
“I think the whole of Malaysia should learn from Sabah.
“The passion here, the meaning behind every culture – that is something we should carry into our future," she said.
