Choo Zheng Xi / Editor-in-Chief
Josie Lau’s interview with CNA raises more questions than it answers. Several assertions in her interview seem to be inconsistent with the facts.
The sound of silence explanation
Both Ms Lau and Honorary Treasurer Ms Maureen Ong both claimed that the new Executive Committee could not speak to the media earlier, because the newly elected president, Ms Claire Nazar had quit. On national television, Ms Lau claimed that “earlier, we couldn’t speak, because there wasn’t a president, and under the Constitution, we could only speak through the president”.
This is at odds with what the AWARE Constitution explicitly says. Article 20 (b) specifically empowers the VP to deputize in the President’s absence:
Article 20
The duties of the Office-Bearers are as follows:
(a) The President shall act as chairperson at all General and Committee Meetings. She shall also represent the Society in its dealings with outside persons, and may appoint other members to represent the Society.
(b) The Vice-President shall deputise for the President in the latter’s absence. …
Besides the silence to the outside world, TOC understands from several sources that the new Executive Committee had not sent any communications to existing AWARE members as of the time of the interview. Instead members had to read the papers and watch the news to hear from the new Executive Committee.
Josie the reluctant leader?
Was Ms Lau a reluctant leader or had she intended to run for the Presidency of AWARE earlier? Ms Lau’s version of the timeline of events is also questionable.
Ms Ong claims that Ms Lau was only elected as a result of her being the last person to be asked to take up the presidency: “on the night of the 15th, she was the last “man” standing”. Ms Lau affirms that by following up “that evening, as Maureen explained, there was hardly any room to move, I was the last woman standing, and I felt I had to pick up the baton”. This gives the impression that she was a reluctant candidate for the position.
However, this contradicts DBS’s statement on how she had indicated, that afternoon before the Executive Committee, meeting that she intended to run as president.
The Kent Ridge Common asks a similar question.
Agreeable “Stormtrooper tactics”?
Josie Lau mentioned wanting to “disagree in an agreeable manner”, but her actions so far seemed strangely at variance with this claim.
The new Executive Committee replaced all subcommittees, contrary to past practice and despite the protests of past President Connie Singam, firing Ms Breama Mathi, who was in charge of the CEDAW reporting process and an established expert in that field. Also, they excluded Constance Singam, who as Immediate Past President has a seat on the exco in an advisory role under the Constitution, from the exco meeting where Josie Lau was appointed President.
They also forced newly elected President Claire Nazar out with what Ms Nazar described as “stormtrooper tactics”.
If Ms Lau is keen on building a collegial working environment, why have their actions been so destructive? A New Paper opinion piece the day after the interview read: “Few straight answers in AWARE interview”. I am inclined to agree.
—–
Excerpt from Alex Au’s blog, Yawning Bread:
Now, here’s something the public does not yet know: The television station’s original plan was for a member each of the old guard and the new guard to be in the interview. Josie Lau objected vehemently and insisted they would not share the interview room and program with anyone from the old guard. So much for reconciliation.
There’s also the extremely curt email (so much for reconciliation, again) they sent to Braema Mathi telling her she’s been relieved of her position as chair of the subcommittee preparing AWARE’s report to be submitted to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Without even a customary word of thanks, the email said:
Kindly note that your term of office as chairman of the CEDAW Committee has ceased at the date of the AGM on the 28 March 2009.
Kindly submit all the work in progess by Friday 17 April 2009 without fail.
Regards
Sally Ang
—-
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“legally elected” does not guarantee its legitimacy if it can be provened that the coup was well planned:-
a) The composition of the new committee members,
b) The timing of their entry into AWARE.
c) Their immediate actions taken upon the old guard.
d) Was the new guard’s plan and reasons convincing to warrant massive
replacement of the old guard?
e) The general public perception of the take-over
f) Lacking in Accountability, transparency and forthcoming to all questions
raised
f) The tendency of making up lies by the new guard to all of the above?
Any 3 of the above, if happened, will render a re-election or vote of no confidence by the minimum required mandate to oust out the new committee members.
Let’s not further argue what is already the obvious, there should be no compromise and I hope the new guard should be professional enough to form their own group rather than use one of Singapore tested “house brand” to further their secret cause.
I am eagerly waiting to hear good news coming from the old guard on 2 May 2009.
Dear Gemani
How pro gay is AWARE ? Lets reduce it to what it has done from the Aware web site. It did support the section 377a battle and the views of its past leadership has been generally liberal with regards to sexuality. Yet in the whole of last year, the majority of issues championed by AWARE in the press was on teen age sex education and the issue of abortion which AWARE supported.
Has one support for one piece of legislation and one movie screening of a female Bro Back mountain meant it has lost its frakkking focus in light of ALL ALL its other work I thnk not.
I will tell you what really scares me is that I believe that Josie and her pussy cats do not share the same fundamental views of feminist in Aware on other more substantive issues, like for example Abortion and Sex education.
Locke
Aware saga, Kidnapped and captured by pro homo lesbian group and western liberals since 2002, finally returned to a clean , honourable asian values leaderships !
Afraid of change !always keeping the statuus quo !old thinking, old guards of AWARE hopr to stop the world from turning!Power Crazy , Power Corrupt!!!
if the old guards are allowed to come to power again, they plan to kick out all christians from the membership and prevent any christian from joining in the future ! anti christians policy to keep the old guards and its crony in power forever!
psst sadgirl… who told you that?
Taken from the we-are-aware website:
“Before the takeover coup at the AGM on 28 March 2009, there were not many declared gay activists amongst AWARE members. For more, read here. However, the new Exco have turned their worst fears into reality. We hear that gay activists (male and female) have joined AWARE after reading newspaper reports and blogs about the takeover.”
I think the translated meaning is something like that …… previously AWARE was subtly but surely moving towards pro-homosexuality. Now that the new exco has taken over, the gay activists (male and female) are openly flexing their muscles. They have lost the luxury of moving subtly and quietly. No ?
So it doesn’t matter whether or not AWARE was previously a pro-homosexuality conduit …… it definitely will become one, if the old guards were to take back the leadership.
lol at sadgirl. indeed sad if you think what you posted is true.
it is interesting that you seem to think that christians have a right to be in power in AWARE, and that AWARE would kick out anyone who was not Christian. AWARE is a secular organisation, not a Christian organisation. Why try to impose Christian interpretations onto a secular organisation?
I think the FOTF saga showed Josie that Singaporeans in general do not take kindly to sectarian, in this case, Christian organisations being supported by charity dollars from a government-owned company. Her tactics have now changed to: “ok, if people are not going to let me give money to my pet Christian organisations, then I shall just take over the secular ones too and turn them all Christian!”
How about that?
103) sadgirl on April 23rd, 2009 12.25 pm
they plan to kick out all christians from the membership and prevent any christian from joining in the future ! anti christians policy
—————————
And your religious beliefs ? Are you from COOS
—————————-
Seriously All of you should stop it . Old Aware take it back.
New Aware, go start your own group call it ANGEL and can have your “wind under the wings” to mould young ladies to your ways.
Gay is a sexual ORIENTATION, not a gender type. and THAT, is a fact.: 94) lobo76,
My point exactly. AWARE has gone off-track and had been championing the sexual orientation of one small group of women and ignoring the larger group. What do you think the consequences would be? Shouldn’t you be disappointed with the outcome thus far? I mean really disappointed with the old team?
Do your arguments (I used that term loosely) reflect that of mainstream church-goers in Singapore?: 95) Sllim
I do not know. Is this question relevant to the discussions here?
taking one word focusing on that one WORD like a laser speaks the worst of you. : 102) lockeliberal
I make no apologies if you feel that way but I am sad that you have resorted to targeting the person rather than the comments. You are one very fine example of the many here who jump to conclusion without the possession of facts.
This is what you said: “ stop viewing the AWARE charter using your own christian right language as justification for a coup or a take over“.
Why do you think I am using a ‘christian right language’? What makes you think I am christian at all, for that matter?
Finally, you have your own perception of what AWARE is, a liberal feminist group with the same liberal feminist roots.
This is what you said: “ Fine so Aware is Pro Gay, that is the nature of liberal feminist movements even in the US. Pro Choice, Pro sexual choice and by default pro GAY. Why take it over and change its values to Pro Family ?”
Because it was meant to be pro-Family, very much like what Josie had said, pro-woman, pro-family and pro-Singapore.
105) briano on April 23rd, 2009 1.38 pm
That the problem with sadgirl’s mentality, She and all others like her is trying to make AWARE turn into a Christians Org.
That is totally wrong to begin with.
does anyone know how many of the
old guards are Christians??
I read with interest that Josie Lau would like to “heal the rift” with upset members.
The new Exco can start by explaining why
1. They have excluded Constance Singham from exco meetings when she is constitutionally entitled to attend
2. They have gone against the wishes of Constance Singham and Claire Nazar, and removed all existing sub-committee heads from their positions
3. They took up core executive positions in the Association when none of them had (except Jenica Chua) are very new members who have never volunteered or participated in AWARE activities before.
These are the questions that should have been put to Josie Lau on Talking Point and I was very disappointed when they were not.
I am a long time member of AWARE and these are valid concerns of members like myself who like and respect Ms Singham, Ms Braema Mathi and Ms Nazar. I am familiar with their substantial contributions to the work of Aware. If the “new blood” has a genuine interest in continuing the good work of the association, I would have expected them to volunteer their time in any one of our current initiatives instead of taking up an Exco position, sacking the existing heads and expecting the members to applaud their actions.
109
winnie: “These are the questions that should have been put to Josie Lau on Talking Point and I was very disappointed when they were not.”
It is not uncommon for interviewees to state topics they do not want asked prior to a televised interview. Perhaps these were the questions she specified.
We know separately also, that she had vehemently objected to having a member of the Old Guard present.
Personally, I find it very strange and highly unlikely that new members (who claim not to know each other) would vote in a new (unknown) member as a committee member versus a long standing member…
Now repeat this several times for the rest of the EXCO…
Goes against the grain of valuing experience and having “tried and tested” members to continue the good work…
To clear any issues about ‘collusion’ during the AGM, maybe someone can publish a list of the members who attended the meeting…I suspect that there may yet be a common thread among them…
Winnie,
I feel your pain, really I do. And if I allow myself to be sentimental about the election results, I would surely be questioning along the lines half the commenters here are questioning. Thing is, we have to face up to reality, and the reality here is that a new team has taken over – for whatever reasons we may have been speculating.
If, and this is a big ‘IF’, half the accusations are true, and the new team really has its own ‘wayward’ agenda, very much against the core values of AWARE, I will be the first to draw my bow and take aim. This I promise all readers.
The problem is, how do we know this unless we allow the new team to show itself for what it is. It is here that the old guards must come to terms with reality and immediately set out to find an amicable solution to the co-existence between the old and the new. No point harping on this, like saying, “they do not want to accept our views and blah…blah…blah”. I am sure the old guards are wise enough to work themselves around this, surely, else how have they been representing the stubborn woman?
The good thing here is that the constitution provides for an EOGM and the old guards can still play a role in regaining their beloved baby. What I do not understand is the amount of effort the old guards are channelling into dis-crediting the new team. Some may not agree with me, but with every stated position, like accusing the new exco for being heavily christianized and being pro-life and anti-gay etc, they are practically saying that the opposite of these do not have a place in their AWARE.
I was most disappointed when Claire Nazar walked out as president. If she hadn’t, there would not be a Josie president, would it?. Correct me if I am wrong.
Why oh why? Go behind the scene. Stop making comments and hurtful remarks that will come back to haunt them. Press on with the official line available to them. Stop the gossips and the endless dissection of every word being uttered.
Sad but true, the old guards have not shown me that this is their beloved baby, one they would safeguard at all cost and treat with tender-loving care. They have left their baby by the side of the road and expect nothing would happen to the baby. Now that it’s been snatch away, how?
With all my heart, I do hope the new exco works along the core values of AWARE and show us that they have AWARE’s interest at heart and that they will work with the old guards to bring AWARE forward to greater heights.
btw, were you there to cast your vote? If not, shame on you.
To lobo76, Sllim & lockeliberal,
I posted some comments to your questions. It should be at #108 or thereabout. Wait for Mr Moderator :)
Dear Genami
Please explain how two fundamentally differing view points can co exists in the same organization ? Are we discrediting them ? Their fundamental beliefs have been googled and the links laid out for all to see hence the criticisms. No one in his right mind will expect a christian leader to sit on a Muslim Religious Organization and likewise a muslim leader to sit on the board of a church.
Christian, Buddhist, Muslim women for that matter all should and are welcome to AWARE as long as they believe in its secular gender equality, liberal pro choice views.
No one is objecting to christians joining AWARE just that particular Right Wing bunch of Christians using right wing code words and epheunisims and not holding to the secular beliefs of an organization they joined but instead seek to subvert it whilst denying it by saying its about ” back to basics ” and being ” pro family.”
Locke
Dear lockeliberal,
I have referred twice already to your understanding that AWARE is, according to your own perception, a liberal feminist group with the same liberal feminist roots.
Show me proof of this and I will keep quiet.
For me, AWARE is much, much bigger than this. It has to, unless you are telling me that the only women that matter are those you have perceived to be.
You painted an extreme scenario and asked me the question about co-existence. Tell me, is Singapore not a multi-racial, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-racial society? Why get all paraniod and paint all these pictures of doom?
114) lockeliberal
Sorry i have a few questions to ask you.
“Christian, Buddhist, Muslim women for that matter all should and are welcome to AWARE as long as they believe in its secular gender equality, liberal pro choice views. ”
You are err..aware that AWARE is secular.
“No one in his right mind will expect a christian leader to sit on a Muslim Religious Organization and likewise a muslim leader to sit on the board of a church.”
Is this a fair comparison?
“No one is objecting to christians joining AWARE ”
Christians can join AWARE. Just THOSE christians better keep away. I am confused by this point you are making. Because isn’t AWARE secular? Why is religion an issue?
I wasn’t aware that “back to basics” and “pro-family” were right wing subvertive code words. Would it be better if they ignored the basics and were anti-famil\y?
Thank you for your time.
so scary, now they’re sending out trolls to stomp (storm) TOC and any other blogs who writes about it.
“I wasn’t aware that “back to basics” and “pro-family” were right wing subvertive code words. Would it be better if they ignored the basics and were anti-famil\y?”
You have may have all the politically correct byword like “back to basics” and “pro-family” but used by certain people and in certain context, you just know it smells and it smells real bad. just gut feeling no concrete proof like what some people will usually call FAITH.
I think she should have come out and say: “AWARE is for all women of all race, language, religion, status ..everything women including sexual orientation.
I think it’s quite obvious that the new team were from the same church, were uncomfortable with some members of aware being gay/lesbian, so they decide to “change things”. Who knew it would be an outright handsdown takeover.
Now the new excos look like a team of headless chickens now. What now?! ha!
And I’m a guy loh. Sigh.
Dear Genami
Lets take the work of Aware over the last twenty years and the issues it has campaigned on. Compare it with and do a google on the term ” gender equality” and search its reference on wikipedia. Please look at “World Organizations define Gender equality as ….. womens rights . ” and click on the whole definition of women rights. You will find that the work of AWARE under the old guard has very much fallen under the definition.
How would u define the past work of AWARE on issues of abortion and sexuality ? I mean come one I have shown you that whilst AWARE has supported one gay friendly legislation and screened one lesbian friendly movie it has been a subset of the majority of its work . Do u have a problem with the majority of its work and how AWARE conducts it ?
Locke
Dear Ohani
Yes I am aware that AWARE hmmm so to speak is secular but equally it welcomes women of all faiths as long as they believe in its core values as commonly understood as shown by its work, actions , track record and lobbying efforts over the past twenty years
The Muslim-Xtian analogy is akin to asking the Fox guarding the hen house , AWARE is a liberal pro choice feminist movement and has been since its inception and since its actions for gender equality.
If u have a differing definition of what women rights means, then go go and set up a seperate organisation with a seperate culture and if that happen we would not be having this dicussion and schemantic world play would we not ?
Religion is an issue because there is a widespread belief that this particular right xtians will not leave their religious beliefs at the door step and will in fatc bring it within the organsation changing its basic core tenets beyond recognition.
Ok lets leave out words and deal with issues. AWARE is pro abortion and pro choice , pro contraception, pro sex education, pro sexual choice for sexuality and contraception method.. Is that stand or basic belief fine with you ?
Locke
(120) “back to basics” and “pro-family”
“used by certain people and in certain context, you just know it smells and it smells real bad.”
What kind of people and what kind of context? Why do i think this line reeks of prejudice?
“just gut feeling no concrete proof like what some people will usually call FAITH.”
What evidence do you have on how Josie Lau with her extreme fundamentalist views is destroying not only the GLBT movement but also regressing the feminist movement?
I am not a supporter of Josie Lau but i am a big fan of reason. Where is the concrete proof? Or is this just a gut feeling?
Show me the proof and i will join your cause immediately and call for her removal from office. Show me what programs she has pushed for in AWARE that is detrimental to women’s rights and the GLBT movement.
Thank you
Dear Ohnani
Some of us judge based on the inferences drawn, the church she belongs to, her choice of words and her errrr stumbling response when asked whether she would define discrimination against a women because of her sexuality.
If she would give a clear cut answer that she believes in the values of AWARE aka instead of resorting to words and code words like Pro Family etc then we would all be assured and non of us would be debating her ad infinitum
Locke
Dear Ohani
The feminist and the LGB movement will survive even if AWARE is taken over by Josie and her views. however it doesn’t mean that liberals, feminist etc should stay quiet silent turn the other cheek when they see the barbarians at the gate.
Locke
Please see it as false to buy votes, old guards are buying votes although they are not buying the votes with their own hands.
We Do Not and Will Not support Votes Buying.
Please see it as false to boycott a bank just to achieve the old guards’ aim to force Josie out of presidency. This is playing dirty.
A Note to DBS: if someone call to cancel a credit card with you and the reason is because they lose confidence with your bank as Josie is taking the presidential seat of AWARE. Please do not be threatened. Because if you do, you are demonstrating to the whole world that this kind of dishonored methods can works on you, is telling people a kidnap or blackmail will make you obedient.
121) Ohnani.
Firstly:
you want an example. just watch the second video. 3 min 40 second to 3min 50 second.
Josie cannot give a straight answer with regards to scenario where a lesbian woman being discriminated at work. A woman irregardless of her sexuality is still a woman. To be discriminated against because of her sexuality is WRONG.
AWARE is supposed to be fighting for women’s rights.
A lesbian woman is not woman enough for josie?
It seems pretty clear to me that her inability to give a forthcoming answer and avoiding the question, already shows where she stands.
If she had openly and publicly said that she would fight for the lesbian woman’s rights to not be discriminated against, or at least made her views known. I’d have at least respected her and not be as concerned.
Secondly.
Allowing female minors and foreign women to vote is fine with me. That idea is sound. However wanting to allow male members voting rights? Ever heard of Conflict of interest?
Lastly.
Publicly claiming that josie and maureen did not know each other, even though they attend the same church. There are 5 exco members from the same church, along with their now president josie lau.
The denial about the planned coup to take over the leadership of AWARE.
I find it inconceivable that they do not know each other. Not to mention that the 80 odd new members who showed up at the AGM and voted them in. If they didn’t know each other to begin with, I cannot begin to imagine on what basis did the new members vote the new EXCO in?
Which person in the right mind would vote in a whole new EXCO who has never before been involved in any of the activities or programs of AWARE.
121 Onani
Yes. Agree. Show me the proof that the new team is doing harm to AWARE.
I do not know you all and not a member and I am good listener to reason and easily adapt to the old ways of thinking if you show be proof.
vote buying? wanna poll how many of the new AWARE members are actually cronies of the COOS? fundie cells are not known for their size in singapore but i could well be wrong
Let’s be very clear about the difference between votes buying and supporting through beliefs.
Even if majority of the new team’s votes are coming from members who are also from COOS, this is still not votes buying. There is no seeing or hearing of any form of trolling & funding for membership fee from the side of the new team.
Do a bit of clicking around on the internet, one should locate some blogs & facebooks that contain topics of funding the membership fee should any new member were to vote for the old guards and do not wish to or can’t pay $40.
Even if they managed to win (somehow their dishonored methods worked), will they be sitting on their exco seats with dignity? Will the victory be a proud one? A piece of advice for the old guards, from today onwards, do not exfoliate your face, let the skin thicken, should be thick enough for 02 May..
I have cut my DBS credit cards into pieces this morning and send them to DBS credit card dept with my cancellation letter. This is the only protest I can do since I am not qualified to vote Josie & gang out in the EOAGM this May. I will support OCBC and UOB all the way from now…
To : 122) lockeliberal
Yes i totally agree with you. it doesn’t mean that liberals, feminist etc should stay quiet and silent. You have every right to have concerns about this.
My main concern is the view that “barbarians are at the gate”. What i’ve read so far for the case against Josie Lau is just speculation and predictions on what she will do, character assassinations and whatnots.
I am equally concerned about the view of some threads that Josie Lau should stay in power because she will promote a anti-homosexual agenda. 377A is an archaic law that should not remain in our constitution. GLBTs can and do form families. To hope that Josie Lau will do something about this is equally wrong.
For now it’s all up in the air. Both camps are stoked up over what may happen and not what has happened. But all this hate speech is getting us nowhere.
What we do know is that Josie Lau is the legitimately voted President of AWARE. We have to wait and see to discern her true agenda. And if it goes against AWARE’s core values then let us do everything we can to remove her.
The old guard may harp but it lost the moral ground long ago when it turned this into a christian vs gay issue. Worse still if what (123) Jaunty Jabber says is true of vote buying. And also when it expressed disapproval that Josie Lau had gone behind DBS’s back to run. Not just DBS but the former ex-co of a woman’s rights group does not believe a woman has the capability to handle such responsibilities? And Josie Lau is the one accused of regressing woman rights.
Though i feel that even with the EOGM on the 2nd of May, AWARE’s name has unnecessarily been dragged through the mud in what is essentially an internal disagreement between the outgoing and incumbent ex-co.
Was it worth it?
Dear Gem and Jaun
Be honest now about who you support and why. Tio Su Ann in a press conference has admitted to being behind the whole idea to take over AWARE
Locke
http://we-are-aware.sg/
This is the website the old guard has put up explaining their views and positions for anyone who is interested.
*beliefs* huh? I guess it’s only a matter of time before the jihadists get some badly needed company….in their cells.
gemami,
“My point exactly. AWARE has gone off-track and had been championing the sexual orientation of one small group of women and ignoring the larger group. What do you think the consequences would be? Shouldn’t you be disappointed with the outcome thus far? I mean really disappointed with the old team?”
Is that the ONLY cause they championed?
If they are to be ‘inclusive’, I don’t see a problem with defending the rights of lesbians. (Definition of championing:”To fight for, defend, or support as a champion). In fact, I may go as far to say that it is probably enshrined in their constitution somewhere to ‘champion’ for all women, including lesbians.
Perhaps you can try to show how they have ignored the larger group? How the old Aware has spent a disproportionate amount of time and effort on LGBT instead of this ‘larger group’?
The latest act by the new Exco coven has left my blood boiling. Changing locks, firing staff willy nilly and the sheer arrogance of refusing comment to the media – and by extension, the public- is vile behaviour. Charlotte Wong’s rudeness was there for all to see.
Hey, gemamy, jaunty, rest of the ilk: Great, well done! You are digging deeper into the hole and laying bare your nastiness for all to see. COOS’s reputation is now shit and unless other christians come forward to repudiate your tactics (like the muslim community did with the jihadis) , the whole christian community is tarnished by this sordid episode.
gemani,
if the IC says that there’s only male or female that doesn’t mean that there can only be male or female genders. If your understanding of inclusiveness is by logic state-defined, then there’s really nothing to talk about here, AWARE simply becomes another organisation to promote the interests of some party. The other part is I am doubtful of you implying that being pro family necessarily means not supporting the homosexual rights, how does gay rights affect family formation then? The case remains for you to be proven.
The other thing regarding liberal and conversatives, you seem to be confused over the the idea of rights as being a matter of opinion. The example of which u gave as liberals trouncing over conservatives because their voices are more heard, that’s why AWARE policies are such to become more popular… but that’s ignoring the issue of what’s right and what’s wrong. Half a century over in NAZI germany everyone which we can classify as the people who are more heard now ‘believe’ that Jews should be exterminated, yet a small minority held on to contrary beliefs.
And regarding AWARE mission, as you have pointed out, here there the main part:
“Our mission is to identify areas for improvement in gender equality, encourage positive change; and support women in realising their highest potential. We believe that gains made by women are not gains made at the expense of men. Rather, they are gains which benefit families and society as a whole
There is further elaboration in its newly set-up website. It says; “It is founded and has almost been operated on an ethos of inclusiveness which ensures that it recognizes the needs of all women, whatever their background.”
I point to you, whatever their BACKGROUND, support WOMEN in realising their highest potential, so if people identify themselves as women what’s the problem with helping them to reach their highest potential?
Unless of course you would want AWARE to define what’s women then, which is hardly the point of it being there in the first place.
Well, well…. having burly men stationed at the centre when the society is supposed to stand up against the intimidation & abuse of women!
The Irony! The Irony!
128) Jaunty Jabber on April 23rd, 2009 9.14 pm Please see it as false to buy votes, old guards are buying votes although they are not buying the votes with their own hands.
We Do Not and Will Not support Votes Buying.
Please see it as false to boycott a bank just to achieve the old guards’ aim to force Josie out of presidency. This is playing dirty.
A Note to DBS: if someone call to cancel a credit card with you and the reason is because they lose confidence with your bank as Josie is taking the presidential seat of AWARE. Please do not be threatened. Because if you do, you are demonstrating to the whole world that this kind of dishonored methods can works on you, is telling people a kidnap or blackmail will make you obedient.
=======
How do we know that it is not a smear tactic of the new AWARE team? We have all seen what moronic, extreme actions they have. Get three burly men to guard and prevent women from entering A WOMAN organisation?!!!!!!
If DBS want to fire Josie, I am sure they have better ground for doing so than craving in the pressure of a few credit cards. We will see.
#134) Jaunty Jabber on April 23rd, 2009 10.23 pm
“Let’s be very clear about the difference between votes buying and supporting through beliefs.”
That’s a blatant lie – there is no vote buying by the old guard. Full stop. Others may be offering to pay membership fees – and don’t give me your tricky semantics, that’s not vote buying – but none of the old exco has made that offer.
“Even if majority of the new team’s votes are coming from members who are also from COOS, this is still not votes buying.”
That’s worse isn’t it? Voting coz same church. How about voting based on good sense?
“There is no seeing or hearing of any form of trolling & funding for membership fee from the side of the new team.”
Given the new guard’s penchant for secrecy and lack of openess, that’s hardly a surprise.
” A piece of advice for the old guards, from today onwards, do not exfoliate your face, let the skin thicken, should be thick enough for 02 May..”
ha. And u rebuked me #100 saying that unkind comments are from supporters of the old guard. That’s so hypocritical.
Ali, the ISD should not be used against anybody. It is the easy, dangerous way out of a bad situation. An open and fair trial in a court of law, following due process, is best way to nail anyone involved in criminal activities. Prevention is better than cure is a meaningless concept and mouthing it blindly will diminish all of our human rights.The hour is late but don’t get silly now, ok?
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/424471/1/.html
Shameful. Gemami, Jaunt, your views please.
There is no Kangaroo in Singapore Court. There is no Judges in Mandai Zoo. Singapore is as good as China.
Gee, thanks words of wisdom! I am not naive about the situation here and know how 3rd world we are in many matters.
Read in TODAY that death threat received by ExCo member. Check it out at
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/315756.asp
The police is now involved , is now involved. Those who are making baseless attacks on the new Exco especially on religion better think again and be prepared to be questioned
As long as the old member openly pulling people to join a new to vote for them, and somehow managed to get their friends to sponsor the membership fee. It is VOTES BUYING.
Eg. Someone is told to join AWARE and to vote for the old guard and was told that she need not pay the membership fee cos’ there are sponsors. Isn’t this VOTE BUYING obvious enough??
These may OR may not be real, but if they are, it just shows they had been lying that there wasn’t any hidden agenda-
http://singsupplies.com/showthread.php?t=26201
the police are investing threat case to aware girl