The Miss Universe organization (MUO) has cut ties with its Indonesian franchise over sexual abuse claims against the pageant’s national director. Several contestants alleged sexual abuse days before the pageant’s crowning ceremony in Jakarta. Contestants said finalists were unexpectedly asked to strip for “a body check for scars and cellulite” and some said they were photographed topless. Jakarta police are probing the claims.
The allegations against the national director, Muhammad Jafar Hafsah, were first made public in a report by The Jakarta Post newspaper. The report said that Hafsah had been accused of sexually abusing several former Miss Indonesia contestants.
The US based MUO said it was clear the franchise had not lived up to its brand standards, ethics, or expectations. The organization said in a statement on Monday that it was deeply troubled by the allegations and that it had “zero tolerance for sexual misconduct of any kind.”
Hafsah has denied the allegations, calling them “baseless” and “defamatory.” He has said that he will take legal action against the newspaper. However, the Miss Universe organization said that it had suspended Hafsah from his duties pending an investigation. It said that it would also be conducting its own investigation into the allegations, and it would not be involved in any future Miss Indonesia pageants until the investigation is complete.
Poppy Capella, Indonesia’s franchise director said on Instagram that she had “never known, ordered, requested or allowed anyone who played a role and participated in the process of organizing Miss Universe Indonesia 2023 to commit violence or sexual harassment through body checking”.
The Miss Universe organization is one of the most prestigious pageants in the world. It is owned by the American media company, NBC Universal. The pageant has been held annually since 1952. The allegations against Hafsah have cast a shadow over the Miss Indonesia pageant. The pageant is one of the most popular pageants in Indonesia. It is seen as a stepping stone to international fame.
The allegations have also raised questions about the safety of beauty pageants. Beauty pageants have long been criticized for objectifying women and for promoting unrealistic beauty standards. The allegations against Hafsah have only served to reinforce these criticisms. It remains to be seen what the long-term impact of the allegations will be on the Miss Indonesia pageant and on the Miss Universe organization. However, it is clear that these allegations have shaken the world of beauty pageants to its core.