Beauty pageants in Hong Kong have frequently generated scandals.
Five days after winning the 1997 Miss Asia Beauty Pageant, Janice Chu Yin-chun was discovered to have been married for four years, breaking the regulations that contestants must be single. Her title was given to the first runner-up, Belinda Hammett.
Amy Chung Wai-Yee, second runner-up in the 1996 Miss Chinese International Pageant, organised by TVB, was revealed in 1998 to have been involved in credit-card fraud and was jailed in the United States. Moreover, she allegedly lied to the pageant organisers about her education background. Instead of obtaining a master's degree from Harvard University, she had actually only attended a class there. She was subsequently stripped of her award.
Chingmy Yau Suk-ching, who had been favoured to become Miss Hong Kong in 1987, withdrew amid rumours she had had plastic surgery on her chin. Ms Yau said her surgery was the result of a childhood accident.
Doris Law, winner of the 1981 Miss Hong Kong Pageant, organised by TVB, was disqualified after being discovered to have lied about her age using her sister's health documents. Ms Law was 26 - one year older than the age limit of 25. Her title was given to the original first runner-up, Irene Lo Kam-sheung.
Hoyan Mok, Miss Hong Kong in 1993, believes the results of beauty pageants in Hong Kong have been fair most of the time. Asked about the constant rumours suggesting that results of beauty pageants had been determined before the contest, Ms Mok said this was unlikely, at least when she was taking part.