Kaamatan (Harvest) Festival will be held online this year with two highlights, a beauty pageant known as Unduk Ngadau and a singers' competition called Sugandois.

Sabah Development Minister Datuk Peter Anthony, who is the Chairman of the organizing committee of the Kaamatan Festival at state level 2020, said that the decision has been made in line with the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) at the Committee meeting.

“Selections for both competitions will be conducted through the Facebook social site from tomorrow until May 29.

“For the Sugandoi competition, participants can post videos on Facebook Sugandoi Artist Management while for the Unduk Ngadau contest participants can post videos on Facebook Unduk Ngadau 2020,” he said.

He said participants were judged online in the Sugandoi contest and the winner will be announced on 30 May.

In the meantime, votes on Facebook will judge the contest of Unduk Ngadau to end the seven best candidates who will participate at the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Institute (KDCA) on 31 May.

“The seven finalists for Unduk Ngadau will be judged by a professional jury and will be broadcast live via Facebook. The public will not be allowed to come to the KDCA as we must comply with the CMCO,” he added.

Peter said that prizes were the same as last year for the Queen of the Unduk Ngadau, and the Champion of Sugandoi.

The Unduk Ngadau winner will receive RM18,000 cash, followed by RM13,000 for the first runner-up and RM10,000 for the second runner-up, while the Sugandoi champion will take home RM6,000 and the second and third place winners RM4,000 and RM3,000.