source & credits:The Star (Northern Edition)

THIRTY contestants will be vying to be winners of a super model search contest in Penang but it will take more than good looks to win the titles.

Besides having qualities of a model and good looks, the winners of the Super Model Search 2008 must also be savvy spenders, event organiser Veronica Tang said.

“The contestants of both male and female categories will each receive eight vouchers worth RM20 to purchase day wear, evening wear and accessories, from eight selected outlets at Queensbay Mall.

“They cannot use more than three vouchers at an outlet and would be tested on how clothes and accessories are mixed and matched for the contest rounds,” she told a press conference at the mall on Saturday.

Veronica said the contest was presented mainly by Queensbay Mall and shoppers could watch the auditions, the semi-final round and the final round on April 19, 20, 25, 26 and 27 respectively in the mall.

There is also a lucky draw for shoppers in conjunction with the contest, she added.

Business management student Reuben Ching, 18, said the con-test’s strict rules would teach him to be a smart buyer.

A first timer at model search contest, engineer Natalie Chuah Seok Huah, 25, said she would keep her budget as low as pos-sible.

Sales promoter Louis Tan Siang Wei, 21, said with his experience in clothing retail sales, spending not more than RM160 for clothes and accessories may not be so hard.

Business studies student Karen Tay Sue Lynn, 18, who has had one model search title under her belt, said she would try her best to spend within RM160.

Tang said eight three-minute programmes hosted by Astro celebrity television hosts Crystal Mary and Charm Mary, and local boy band Storm, featuring the contestants would be aired at Astro Jiayu (channel 304) and Astro AEC (channel 301) from April 20 to the contest’s final round on April 26.

The first prize winner of both male and female categories will each take home RM1,000, a year’s modelling contract with Apple Magazine, Stella-In beautician course worth RM3,000, RM2,000 worth of Poh Kong jewellery and RM1,500 voucher from Extreme Hair Concept.

The second prize winners will each get RM800, and third prize winners will each take home RM500 each plus other goodies.