Francisca Ester crowned 2019 Harvest Queen in Kota Kinabalu

Francisca seated centre flanked by Annette on third left and Leticia on third right.

KOTA KINABALU: Karambunai's Francisca Ester Nain is the 2019 Unduk Ngadau (Harvest Queen).

The 25-year-old was crowned by last year's winner Hosiani Keewon here on Friday (May 31).

The second and third winners were Pantai Manis's Annette Rabecca Januin @ Abdon and Leticia Casianus Bansin of Penampang.

Francisca beat 64 representatives, proving that she was not only the most beautiful of all, but the smartest, and one who truly knows her own ethnic culture.

She was one of the few who spoke fully in the native Dusun language during the question and answer session while the other finalists mostly spoke in Bahasa Melayu.

She will bring home RM100,000 worth of prizes including RM18,000 cash, scholarships from Sidma College and Unirazak, return flight tickets to Japan and Seoul, South Korea, as well as other goodies.

The second and third place winners bring home prizes worth RM70,000 and RM50,000 respectively.

As part of their prizes, Annette took home RM13,000 in cash while Leticia bagged RM10,000.

Both will also receive scholarships from Sidma College and Unirazak, flight tickets to different destinations, and other goodies.

The fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh place winners are from Tamparuli, Kundasang, Tandek and the Klang Valley.