Cover image via Chloe Lim (Provided to SAYS)
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In September, 27-year-old Chloe Lim was crowned Miss Universe Malaysia 2025, and will represent the country at the Miss Universe 2025 pageant in Thailand this November
After making it through five rounds and emerging as the winner among 16 finalists, the moment still feels surreal for Chloe. "Sometimes, I still watch the video and can't believe that was really me on that stage," she told SAYS.
Previously a management consultant, which she described as entirely different from the pageant world, Chloe now focuses entirely on pageantry.
Chole shared that pageantry wasn't something she had originally planned for. "I'd been talking with my friends about wanting to try something different," she told SAYS.
"Then I saw the Miss Universe Malaysia 2025 online ad and thought, 'Why not do something brave?' Two hours before the deadline, I sent in my application — and here I am today."
Chloe's mission is to close the opportunity gap in education to ensure that children from all backgrounds can reach beyond their circumstances
To make this happen, she has been volunteering at Lighthouse Children Welfare Home, a vulnerable children's home in Bangsar, since her teenage years. Her ongoing work there focuses on three main areas: fundraising, education, and exposure.
"The home faces a lot of challenges because it relies entirely on donations," she explained to SAYS.
"Sometimes, even the children's medical bills or repairs to the building after heavy rains are hard to cover. So fundraising is the first thing I help with."
Beyond financial aid, Chloe also wants to strengthen the children's learning foundation. "A lot of them struggle with core subjects like Maths, even at Year 5 or 6," she said. "On weekends, I try to give them some time, help with their homework, and close that gap in any way I can."
Another part of her effort is helping them dream bigger. She believes that exposing children to new ideas and experiences can open their minds to possibilities beyond what they see every day.
"What I realised is that many of these kids struggle to imagine what lies ahead for them beyond Form 5," she said. "They don't even know what's out there. I want to show them that there's hope and a bigger world waiting for them."
Her mission is heavily inspired by her experience in studying abroad
Having studied in the UK, New York, Portugal, and Estonia, Chloe saw firsthand how access to quality education can shape a person's future.
She holds two master's degrees, one in Law and another in International Management. Those experiences have opened her eyes to how uneven education access can be.
"I've been lucky to learn so much about the world," she reflected. "But it also made me realise how uneven access to education and safety can be. That's why I want to give others the same chance to dream that I had."
Her first master's dissertation focused on improving animal welfare rights in the UK — a topic she chose because she believes empathy and justice should extend to all living beings.
Away from pageantry, Chloe's world remains down-to-earth. She finds peace in horse riding, tennis, and time spent with her six rescue dogs.
For Chloe, tennis and horse riding are her way of switching off. They let her stay in the moment and find peace amid her busy schedule.
Growing up with six rescue dogs, animals have always brought her joy. She describes them as genuine and full of heart.
Music is another outlet for her creativity. Having played the piano and violin since childhood, she recently began taking singing lessons to learn something new.
Now, as she prepares for the international stage in Thailand this November, Chloe admits life has been a whirlwind
"Everything from the gala night to now has felt like a sprint. But I'm running on adrenaline and gratitude. This is one chapter of my life where I just want to give it my all and look back one day feeling proud."
As she prepares for Miss Universe 2025, Chloe plans to use the global platform to share both her advocacy and her identity as a Malaysian.
For Chloe, representing Malaysia is about showing the world the strength of a small but capable nation.
"We may not be one of the biggest countries, but when I stand on that stage. I hope to show that Malaysia is capable — that we have just as much to offer as any other nation," she said.
