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Better Unduk Ngadau judging system

Published on: Friday, May 30, 2025 Published on: Fri, May 30, 2025 By: Ricardi Unto Text Size: Joanna (right) explained that the format of the competition remains unchanged, beginning with 51 finalists before narrowing down to 15 and finally selecting the top 7, with two rounds of question-and-answer (Q&A) segments. Kota Kinabalu: The State Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan (UNK) final judging session this year will be improved with the aid of a computerised scoring system and language interpreters, the organisers said recently. State UNK co-chairperson Datuk Joanna Kitingan, during the registration on Monday, said a new computerised scoring system would be introduced for the grand finals on May 31, with hopes it would streamline the process and allow results to be announced earlier, ideally by 5.30pm or 6pm. She added that this year's panel will consist of seven judges - an increase from the usual five. Joanna explained that the format of the competition remains unchanged, beginning with 51 finalists before narrowing down to 15 and finally selecting the top 7, with two rounds of question-and-answer (Q&A) segments. 'In the first Q&A for the top 15, finalists will be required to answer in their mother tongue or native languages, while the second Q&A for the top 7 will be judged on content, accuracy, and confidence,' she said. State UNK co-chairperson Mary Gambidau said the inclusion of interpreters for Lundayeh and Murut languages was a direct response to suggestions from netizens calling for more equitable judging in the final rounds. Advertisement 'At this time, we are only providing interpreters for Lundayeh and Murut because Kadazan and Dusun are widely understood by most judges who are fluent in these languages,' she said. She emphasised that the interpreters will be independent professionals, not part of the organising committee, to ensure impartiality and accurate translation during the Q&A sessions. Mary also revealed that a dedicated and credible question committee, consisting of experts in the Kadazan Dusun language, was formed this year to draft thoughtful and culturally relevant questions. 'We hope the questions this year will be better,' she said. As for the scoring breakdown, the first round of judging for the 51 finalists is based on six components: natural beauty (10 per cent) assessed by the committee, overall beauty (30 per cent) by the judges, traditional attire (25 per cent), stage presence (15 per cent), discipline (10 per cent) assessed by the committee, and the CAN Video Project (10 per cent). The second round for the top 15 finalists focuses on five criteria: natural beauty (10 per cent) assessed by the committee, overall beauty (25 per cent), traditional attire (10 per cent), stage presence (15 per cent), and mother tongue usage (10 per cent) - evaluated based on fluency, content, and confidence - plus discipline (10 per cent) by the committee, totalling 80 per cent. The final round for the top 7 finalists adds a 20 per cent score from the general knowledge Q&A session, judged on content, accuracy, and confidence, making up the remaining percentage to complete the 100 per cent final mark. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia