In an e-mail response to questions from The New Paper, Tania said the photographs were taken a year ago during a surprise birthday party her boyfriend organised for her.

According to her coach Christina Liang, who is training her for the Miss Universe 2010 international pageant, Tania’s boyfriend is an Englishman who works as a director at an international property firm.

Tania said the people she was photographed with are friends of her boyfriend and herself.

She said: “It is not a crime to have friends who are not of the same colour. We are taught not to be racist in school.

“My family and I have friends from different countries and it has been great exchanging, sharing and learning different cultures and beliefs.”

Referring to the photograph of her as a car show model, she said: “To help pay my tuition fees, I took up part-time modelling when I was younger, and the car show was one of the many assignments I took on.”

She said she donated half her fees to a children’s charity.

Tania added that she hoped people would respect her privacy.

Miss Liang said she was told of the forum postings last Saturday afternoon. The person who posted the photographs is believed to be a supporter of Annabel.

Said Miss Liang: “I have seen the photographs. They are of her friends and some are of Tania with her boyfriend. The person who posted those photographs obtained Tania’s personal photographs without her permission. This is an intrusion of privacy.

“Tania was quite shocked. She does not know how the photographs were obtained as she did not post them on any social networking sites.”

On Tania being labelled a Sarong Party Girl, Miss Liang said Singapore is a cosmopolitan society and people should be open to different races, nationality and cultures.

Mr Daryl Pang, director of Derrol Stepenny Promotions, which organises Miss Singapore Universe, said: “Tania did not do anything wrong, she is entitled to have a social life and privacy.

“What is wrong is for someone to take these photographs and post them without her permission.

“Whom she dates has no bearing on her title. She won it based on her own merit.”

Mr Pang continued: “We are a multicultural society. There are celebrities who have mixed marriages or date people of a different race. Why pick on Tania?”

When contacted, Annabel expressed shock and dismay at the incident.

Said Annabel: “I was not aware that this happened. While I appreciate those who support me, I do not condone such behaviour.

“I feel for Tania because she is my friend from the pageant. We helped each other during the pageant.”

Annabel said she wanted to make clear that none of her friends or family members would have done such a thing.

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