Kota Kinabalu: Julia Morley, Chairwoman and CEO of the Miss World Organisation, has donated RM300,000 to support the development of the Sabah Autism Society during the Beauty With a Purpose Tour 2026.
The contribution was revealed in an interview with Dr Sean Wong BBM, Chief Executive Officer of HyperLive Entertainment and franchise owner of Miss World Malaysia, who is leading the humanitarian and community outreach mission in Sabah from Feb 4 to 10.
The tour is joined by reigning Miss World 2025 Opal Suchata and Miss World Malaysia 2025 Taanusiya Chetty.
Dr Wong said the initiative reflects the long-standing vision of the Beauty With a Purpose movement, founded by Morley, to empower young people to drive meaningful social change.
“The mission is very simple. We want to empower young people to create a bigger impact in society by turning their ideas into real projects that improve lives,” he said.
During a visit to the Sabah Autism Society at KKIP on Thursday, Morley was briefed on plans to establish a dedicated facility to expand development programmes for autistic children and their families.
“When Mrs Morley heard about the plans, she asked what they needed to get it going. When she was told about the RM300,000 required, within minutes she committed to pledge that amount to help the autism children,” said Dr Wong.
He added that Morley had previously contributed US$10,000 to the society during an earlier visit, which funded an outdoor learning programme allowing children to engage in hands-on gardening and practical activities.
The delegation also visited the Kota Kinabalu Special Education Primary School, where Morley pledged an additional RM5,000 after being moved by a musical performance by deaf children.
Dr Wong noted that the Beauty With a Purpose mission prioritises sustainable projects rather than one-off assistance, with Morley personally assessing initiatives that can create long-term impact.
The Sabah tour also aims to promote the state internationally by showcasing its culture, people, and charitable efforts through the Miss World platform.
Miss World 2025 Opal Suchata, visiting Sabah for the first time, said the trip has been deeply meaningful and aligns with her advocacy work.
The 22-year-old international relations student from Thailand added that she hopes to inspire young people by using her global platform to highlight social causes and encourage resilience.
“I want them to see me as someone going through life with them. Sometimes you come across failure, but it’s not the end of the world. You’re just redirected to other paths,” she said.
