Business student Carissa Yap, 22, was crowned this year's Miss Universe Singapore on Oct 17, but some netizens are not impressed.
The first runner-up was Miss Yvonne Sashirekha and the second runner-up was Miss Denissia Delangle.
One Redditor posted a photo of the three women on Saturday (Oct 29) and asked: "In your honest opinion, are they considered pretty?"
Someone answered: "Honesty is brutal – no."
Another commented: "Miss Universe hasn’t been a beauty contest in many years. It is a smart go-getter thick-skinned contest for above-average looking girls. Usually the smartest or most accomplished one will win in Singapore.
"Maybe because the judges know that our local contestants cannot compete in looks with international contestants, at least they can choose a brainy one who will score in the question-answering or talent rounds."
The Redditor who posted the question pointed out: "Eliminated in the beauty round, no chance to perform brainy round."
To which the previous commenter replied: "Is that how it works? Last year’s winner was an RGS/RI girl, and she actually made it to the top 16 which is super rare for Singapore. So they follow this formula again this year."
Miss Nandita Banna became the first Singaporean to make it to the semi-finals of the international Miss Universe pageant in 34 years last year.
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Ms Marion Nicole Teo, who accomplished the feat in 1987, was one of the judges at this year's Miss Universe Singapore held at Chijmes.
The other judges were fashion designer Frederick Lee, Miss Universe Singapore 2013 Shi Lim, photographer Jeff Chang and Ms Jessie Khoo-Gan, general manager of Paradox Singapore Merchant Court at Clarke Quay.
The winner, Miss Yap, impressed the judges with "her X-factor, confidence and intelligence during the two Q&A rounds", according to the Miss Universe Singapore Facebook page.
The first question she was asked was about her favourite memory in Singapore, which she said was going to the wet market with her mother.
The second question was: "Why would you say you are beautifully confident?"
Miss Yap answered: "I'm not afraid to combine beauty with my intellect because I don't think it's a binary choice."
While her answers impressed, netizens opined that it would not be enough for the international competition.
One Instagram user commented: "It’s gonna take a whole lot more than a nice answer for someone to place, let alone win."
Last week, it was reported that the Miss Universe Organization was bought over by Thai transgender businesswoman Jakapong "Anne" Jakrajutatip's JKN Global Group.
This article was first published in Stomp. Permission required for reproduction.
