exclusive Stephanie Dods of New Zealand has a smile that would stop anyone in their tracks - little wonder then that she won the Miss Winning Smile title in her first outing in an international beauty pageant.

She received a trophy, a sash and RM1,000 in cash from organisers of the 2006 Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International Pageant held in Malaysia last December.

The problem is that she's underaged - Stephanie turned 16 two weeks before the contest. And she's not only one. There was another under-16 contestant at the pageant - Miss Romania.

Stephanie's mother, April, said she was uncertain if it there was an age restriction for contestants, and had initially wanted to cancel her daughter's participation.

"My husband actually questioned the New Zealand organisers (as to whether) she (was) too young, and (we were thinking) that we should maybe send her in a few years' time," she told malaysiakini .

"But we were told by the New Zealand director that they had confirmation from the Malaysian organisers that it was not a problem."

But April later found out that the Malaysian organisers were telling the media that her daughter was 18.

"I questioned them as to why they were lying about my daughter's age to all the magazines," she said.

The organisers' response - which will be reported in full tomorrow alongside rebuttals of allegations - was that they wanted Stephanie to take part in the pageant.

Loss of titles

Another contestant, Miss England Alisa Bahtanovic said the real reason that the organisers wanted as many contestants as possible (40 in all) was so that they could make a profit from sponsors, advertisers and the participants themselves.

"The most important thing the girls didn't know was that they would have to work free of charge for 16 hours a day, advertising sponsors' products, while the organisers were getting paid for it," she said.

Alisa ( left ) said it was unethical to allow a 16-year-old to compete in a beauty pageant.

"April unfortunately did not know that at the time and the local organisers assured her that it would be fine for Stephanie to compete. But when April and her daughter arrived, the organisers started to lie to the newspapers that Stephanie was 18," said Alisa, who now works as a model in London.

Stephanie was "bitterly disappointed" with the way the pageant had been organised and the harsh treatment by the local organisers, who allegedly forced contestants to take part in many events without considering the long hours the girls were already putting in for the organisers.

Worse, at least three contestants - including Stephanie - lost the minor titles they had won on grounds that they did not attend functions organised after the pageant ended on Dec 30.

"Stephanie was not able to attend a beach party the next day as she was too exhausted by three weeks of the tight schedule fixed by the organisers. She lost four kilos in that time," explained April.

The next day, the organisers contacted April to say that Stephanie's title had been revoked and her cash prize cancelled for missing the party.

"They said their rules are that every contestant has to attend all functions. I was shocked," said April.

She also said Miss Singapore and Miss Philippines similarly lost their titles for not attending the party.

"Their medical certificates were ignored by the organisers," she claimed.

All for the glamour

Malaysiakini also spoke to several local models and beauty pageant contestants to find out what goes on behind the scenes. Many said it is common for those aged 16 and 17 to take part in such events.

"They are all in it for the glamour... the young girls and their parents. We are all in it for that too. It's the (glitzy) lifestyle that lures us," said a former beauty queen.

She said most contestants enter these events, knowing full well that they would be "used and abused" by some people, although some drop out because they have had enough.

"Don't blame others. We do it because of the potential financial rewards," she said, insisting on anonymity.

She explained why she insisted on anonymity when speaking to malaysiakini.

"I am still active- lah . Also, I don't want others to blame me for spilling the beans."

Part 1: The ugly side of a beauty pageant

Next: The local organisers have their say