Miss World 2011: How far can Singapore go this time?

Another beauty pageant comes around this weekend in the form of Miss World 2011.

And once again, one wonders how Singapore will fare. This year's Singapore representative is May Hsu, a 21-year-old student pursuing a diploma in biomedical science.

[SLIDESHOW: Miss World contestants]

How does she fare against other contestants? Pleasant-looking enough and sweet in her own way, but let's face it -- not nearly as stunning as perennial contenders from Latin America, Japan, Australia or Europe.

Having said that, at least she's not Ris Low.

Yes, at least May can speak proper English and won't be a major embarrassment on the global stage. In video interviews, she can field and answer questions intelligently.

But every time beauty pageants come around, I always end up looking at the photos, feeling dumbfounded and wondering (with all due respect to May and previous reps) -- "Is that the best Singapore can offer?"

Why aren't the best-looking ones out there on the world stage representing us? Look around you next time you're on the MRT or in Orchard Road or at the clubs -- I'm sure you'll agree pretty Singaporeans are not that hard to find, yeah?

So is it fear of being ridiculed or judged for wanting to be in the spotlight holding them back? (Think Rachel Kum's obscene photo controversy or Ris Low's "boomz" interview or the occasional "national costume" FAIL).

Or as compared to other beauty queens who can spend up to year or more preparing for their big day, do Singaporean girls have, for lack of a better phrase, better things to do like focus on career or studies?

Or are we Singaporeans just not big into the business of celebrating beauty?

Singapore's best result so far was in 1987, when the Miss Universe pageant was hosted in our own backyard and Marion Nicole Teo made it to the top 10. When can that happen again?

Arguably, Singapore's best known beauty queen, Teo Ser Lee, a winner of three beauty pageants and a contestant in Miss World 1988, has her own ideas of the dangers of being a beauty queen in Singapore.

In an interview with website The Daily Chili earlier this year, the 44-year-old entrepreneur who holds a university accountancy degree said, "They (people) never cared that I had a degree — their idea was that I'm a bimbo or a beauty with no brains."

So how can we get our most gorgeous girls up there on stage and put the best face forward for Singapore?

Because this time next year, for once, I wish my colleagues and I could look at the contestants and go, "Wow. Look at Singapore -- super chio or what!" instead of checking out Miss Peru or Paraguay.