KUALA LUMPUR:The newly crowned Miss Earth Malaysia 2020/21, Dr Nisha Thayananthan expects to come up with her own brand of biodegradable sanitary pads by year-end.

The medical doctor at the Putrajaya Hospital who is said to be the first doctor to come up with such initiative in Malaysia will be working with Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (PEKA), an environmental non-governmental organisation in promoting her cause, aimed at protecting the environment from the menace of plastic waste.

“I had witnessed many underprivileged community using dirty unused clothes as a pad during my community posting back in Sarawak. 

“I hope the eco-friendly sanitary pads can give hope to the indigenous and less fortunate communities of Malaysia to practice good self-hygiene during their menstruation,” she told Bernama.

Dr Nisha said this during an interview for Bernama’s new Tamil talk show programme, Konjum Casual-la Pesalaama. The show will be aired tomorrow (Oct 11) at 7.30 pm on Bernama TV as well as the news agency’s social media platforms.

Konjum Casual-la Pesalaama, a production of Bernama’s Digital Media division, is set to showcase young and talented personalities from various fields including entertainment, sports and education.

Dr Nisha, who was crowned as Miss Earth Malaysia at a simple ceremony on Sept 6 here, had previously said that she would spearhead an initiative to donate biodegradable sanitary pads to the underprivileged and the indigenous community in order for them to practice good self-hygiene through the “purchase one, donate one” campaign.

Asked on the selection process of Miss Earth Malaysia 2020/21, the medical graduate from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak said she was selected among 100 candidates who went through audition for the period from March until August this year.

“The title was given based on my strong advocacy stance that attracted masses,” said the beauty queen who intends to specialise in plastic surgery.

The part-time model also brushed aside talks that she is being overexposed in social media platforms, stressing judgemental comments doesn’t influence her life in any way.

“We doctors are putting our lives at threat to save lives. We are humans too and we have a life outside the hospital.

"I feel people who are being judgemental should rationalise their thinking process because we are equally competent dressed in both bikini and bathing suit.

“Dressing doesn't make us any less competent or unprofessional,” said Dr Nisha who will be competing in the Miss Earth pageant in the Philippines next year.

-- BERNAMA