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SINGAPORE - Singapore's representative to the Miss World beauty contest has stepped down after being exposed as a credit card cheat, the local contest organisers said on Tuesday.
Ris Low, a 19-year-old student, had first resisted calls to give up her crown after Singapore media revealed she received a suspended sentence for stealing and misusing customers' credit cards when she worked as a receptionist.
She was convicted of credit card fraud in May and sentenced to two years' probation.
When asked if she was finally bowing down to public pressure, the 19-year-old beauty queen said: "I feel that it would be better for everyone, including Singaporeans who are not very supportive of me going to this pageant.
"This is actually the best for everybody, including the company, the public and for myself. So yes, I have given it up because I think it's the best choice now."
While she did not reveal when she had came to the decision, Ms Low admitted that she's had thoughts of quitting for some time.
Miss Low said that ERM World, organiser of Miss Singapore World pageant, has been informed and supports her decision.
"She has resigned. Story closed," a staff member of ERM World Marketing, holder of the Singapore franchise for the Miss World 2009 contest taking place in Johannesburg in December, told AFP.
ERM said it will be interviewing a new representative to represent Singapore at Miss World 2009 in the coming days and will announce who she is shortly.
Low's admission that she committed the crime as a result of bipolar disorder further stoked calls for her to resign because she was seen as unsuitable to represent Singapore overseas.
Before the revelations of her conviction and psychiatric problems, Low became an object of ridicule after a video interview posted on the Internet showed her speaking fractured English. - AFP/938LIVE/CNA/vm
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