From the Straits Times:
BANK executive Josie Lau, 48, was appointed the new president of the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) on Wednesday night at a meeting of the new team in charge.
She is vice-president of consumer banking group cards and unsecured loans for DBS Bank.
But shortly after she announced that she was president, posed for pictures and made brief comments to reporters, her employer expressed unhappiness that she had taken the top post at Singapore’s best-known women’s group.
And Ms Lau did not have the green light to be Aware president.
‘We believe that as a vice-president in DBS, she already has a challenging job with many responsibilities, and the role of president would demand too much of her time and energy,’ a spokesman said last night.
Full report here.
Read also: The new guard consolidates by Today.
A STATEMENT issued by a DBS spokesman:
‘The bank requires all employees to obtain approval before running for or taking on an external appointment, and many DBS employees are involved in community work and/or support various charity organisations in their own personal capacity.
‘Josie was informed prior to the Aware election this evening that although the bank supports her involvement in Aware as council member, in her own personal capacity, DBS is, however, not supportive of her intent to run for president of Aware. We believe that as a vice-president in DBS, she already has a challenging job with many responsibilities, and the role of president would demand too much of her time and energy.’
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DBS involved in anti-gay advertisements controversy in December 2008:
From My Paper:
BARELY three weeks after controversy erupted over DBS’ support of the family- charity group, Focus on the Family Singapore (FOTF), the name of the group is again appearing in DBS advertisements for a credit- card promotion (refer to example on top).
References to FOTF have been pulled from the bank’s promotions after a boycott of DBS by gay activists, who claimed that the charity was “anti-gay” and “anti-abortion”.
Within People Like Us (PLU), we had just about sorted out our group position when the reporter from the Business Times called regarding DBS Bank and Focus on the Family (FOTF). Admittedly, we were slower off the starting block than the “young turks” on SiGNeL, PLU’s email list, who had been seething for two weeks.
They were furious when the saw the Christmas credit card promotion of DBS: “For every set of *limited edition bears* redeemed, DBS will contribute a sum towards *Focus on the Family*, a charity dedicated to helping children and families thrive” – words taken from the bank’s website, mid-November 2008.
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I think the biggest lesson to be drawn from this is never to let your guard down.
There will always be different interest groups out there. They have the right to exist, but not at the expense of others.
Singaporeans tend to be a very complacent lot, be it with food hygiene or this. Actually, I dont know if ‘complacent’ is the right word for it, perhaps apathetic is more suitable.
I’ve taken a keen interest in this, not due to personal orientation, but due to the sophisticated and very swift manner in which they have orchestrated this power grab.
The Taliban? It happens in the Christian world too it seems.
I’m a little disturbed by the abortion discussions – because I’m a mother to 2 and now grappling with possibility of adopting another.
Just to share by own opinion – Abortion is immoral because a foetus is a living being. It cannot speak but it is certainly NOT voiceless. In fact, scientists have discovered that foetuses (as early as 20 weeks) can feel pain and are advocating for anti-abortion for foetuses older than 20 weeks.
Why do people just focus on women – shouldn’t the men be made responsible as well? In unwanted pregnancies, the men can choose to walk away – the women then have to make the difficult decision of to have or not to have the baby. How many unwanted preganancies occur because parents could not bring themselves to provide their children sex education and prefer to ‘outsource’ to teachers who might only answer 5% of their child’s questions? Society has to look at preventing unwanted pregancies, not at abortion/pro-choice/pro-life debates. Only then can we progress.
There is almost no right answer to the abortion issue is there? Life begins even before 20 weeks after conception, so who’s to draw the line but God?
On the other hand, you just need to look at the number of abandoned street children prostituting themselves in certain countries that forbid abortion, and you wonder if they were better off if they did not have to be born without parents who would shield them from this ugly world. Which is more painful?
There is a Chinese saying (yes, we’re a cruel race aren’t we?) that, rather than prolonged pain, isn’t it better to have transient pain?
Pro-choice people should just accept that they will live out the rest of their lives with this mini-hell inside their heads and pro-life people should just stop imposing their will on others.
OLD GUARDS OF AWARE EXPOSED?
Can any of the Old Guard members please clarify what someone has posted elsewhere? If it is true, then the game Ms Singam and her girlie networks are play is up! —-
“I have found out that the gay activists have been trying to register People Like Us with the ROS but were rejected twice. Now they are into PLU3 (3rd version?).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_Like_Us_3
That probably explains why they are so obssessed about keeping Josie and team out of AWARE’s leadership, and the slant adopted by Ms Braema Mathi to emphasize GLBT causes.
She said: “AWARE is simply an organisation that will always, I hope, stand up for any form of anti-discrimination – whether you are heterosexual, homosexual, transgender, transvestite, divorced or a single mum.”
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/423677/1/.html
I don’t see any reason why AWARE has to duplicate what People Like Us are already doing unless the latter is trying to use AWARE as a trojan horse to gain a backdoor entry into the ROS.
I still agree with Ms Josie Lau that AWARE has lost its focus.
I still do not know much about the plans and values of the old exco. They should also make known their intentions, plans and values especially with regard to being pro-family, gay marriages etc. Ms Lau has asked the question rightfully.
If AWARE claims to represent all women, then they owe the women of Singapore to disclose their intentions instead of harping on the new exco’s.”
Regardless new exco or old guards, they should have only one focus which is the reason for AWARE’s existence.
The newbies should not jump in & make abrupt & drastic changes within such a short period. I’m sure they themselves would be upset and deem it hostile if another bunch of newbies are to take over in such a manner too.
The old guards have worked so long and hard to bring AWARE to where it is today. It is without doubt that they will feel so negative about the whole change.
It is ultimately the way which the new exco team handles the change which causes the uproar. I’m sure the old guards and the new exco will work out a seamless handover with more heart than head.