AWARE Exco ousted

Justice has prevailed!! I spent one whole day at Suntec for the AWARE EGM expecting the worse, but came away very high, thrilled and touched, seeing how all women of different races, different religions, different beliefs, different cultures, women from all walks of life in Singapore coming together as one to give the sneaky one-month-old Exco a NO-CONFIDENCE mandate (1414 vs 761 votes).

I had just signed up as a new member of AWARE and paid $40 a few days ago because I could not stand the overbearing New Exco clowns anymore. I could not let a respectable NGO be so grossly misrepresented. I felt I had to do something - my precious one vote. I was there very early. All the counters for registration were set up and a sea of Red Tshirts volunteers (New Exco)were getting ready. When the volunteers of the Old Guard wearing White We-Are-Aware T-shirts started arriving, there was a minute of chaos. I saw Jenica Chua (of New Exco) instructing her staff to stop the Old Guard volunteers from setting up a booth next to theirs. I overheard her saying "tell them registration starts at 12pm", and even refused to let the white Tshirt volunteers be at the premise. They were stopped at the escalator and chased away till someone had to tell a reporter she was being pushed. Even an ordinary member like myself could choose to stand nearby to wait, but why were the volunteers of the Old Guard (who are obvious members too) driven away?

The mood in the long queue was really heartwarming. It was obvious which side most supporters were on. Everyone seemed relaxed, and there were throngs of supporters turning up, joining the queues, chatting and joking with each other. The White Tshirts volunteers were busy giving out water, sandwiches, information leaflets and even flowers to all the ladies in the queue, just to cheer everyone up. I did not see any of the Red Tshirts doing anything at all besides standing inside the auditorium. Overheard in the queue, when volunteers advised members to ensure they were in the right queue, "Ordinary Members" queue or "New Registration Members" queue, to which a reply came "I happened to think we are all Extraordinary members here".

I think about 2500 members turned up, out of which about 2200 were women, the rest being men who were not allowed to vote. I saw a few celebrities like Nadya Hutagalung, Patricia Mok, Irene Ang, and Violet Oon. It was obvious who they supported. Many senior founding members and past presidents of AWARE, high-profile lawyers and professionals and volunteers who were with AWARE were there too. Many witnessed busloads of New Exco supporters coming in at the last moment (perhaps coming from church?) and seated at the back. Our bags were checked by security before entering the auditorium. Overheard, the security asking a member if there was anything sharp inside her bag, to which her reply "only my tongue".

Below is the sequence of the EGM taken from Straits Times and those highlighted in BOLD RED, my two cents worth.

2.30pm: Ms Lau is interrupted repeatedly in her president's address by the audience. She has asked security to ask unruly people out. She could not control the crowd and kept repeating "please be quiet" and "order please" and "let me finish my president's address". She was just reading from a script on her powerpoint slides information which everyone already knows from the AWARE website. She offered no explanation of anything nor her team's directions at all. Talking about security, one security guard was besides Josie the whole night. What was she afraid of, that people would throw rotten eggs?

2.56pm: Ms Lau's legal counsel, Greg, has asked for the microphones to be left switched on, to cheers from supporters. Before, when old guard members tried to speak, the mikes were not switched on. All photographers are now asked to leave as some used flash photography. All those jeering are asked to leave too. She was untactful and kept talking in a threatening manner, thus incurring more jeers from the audience. These very actions showed us how underhanded this new team was, the extremes they would go to reach/hide their aims. It was only one-way dictatorship communication.

3.13pm: Ms Lau introduces her new exco members' profiles to boos from crowd. Many shouted "get on to business!!"

3.25pm: They have skipped to agenda items 3 and 4. Mr Gregory, the legal counsel said: "Whilst a vote of no confidence does not mean the new exco has to step down, they should consider doing so." To which the New Exco seemed to have no reaction or deaf to it.

3.30pm: Voters are now briefed on voting procedure. Each ordinary member is entitled to one vote. Men are not allowed to vote.

3.42pm: A new member recites part of the pledge, stressing justice and equality, that the old guard has not been treated equally. The crowd is exuberant and cheers as she attributes increase in membership to old guard. It is now chaotic as the new and old supporters shout at the mike. Earlier, Josie Lau had the gall to flash a PPT slide showing the surge in membership for April alone, from 300 to 3000. She taking credit for this?!

3.43pm: Irene Ang speaks at mike. She says, "I'm a Christian and i love God as much as you do. But I don't agree with what the new exco is doing." Many Christians in the midst also stood up to say they cannot respect or condone the action of just a small group of the Christian community in such a takeover. Actress Irene Ang criticised "How can you change the locks and say your doors are open?". A New Exco supporter took to the mike and called the crowd "hooligans" to which the audience took offense again and roared.

3.47pm: Crowd chants 'where were you' after Mrs Singam asks where new exco were in the past 24 years. Ms Lau asks for right to reply from old guard supporters. She asked for right to reply but when given the chance to reply, she always turned to her legal counsel Greg for advise or she would call upon her mentor Dr Thio for her input. Otherwise, she just deviated and gave all the airy-fairy answers which did not answer to the point the many questions the audience asked. In short, got say like never say lah.

4pm: Several new members step out to express their displeasure at the new exco. 'You have not shown the grace of god at all,' said one. Another said "you want respect, you have to EARN respect, by being a volunteer and not by a takeover".

4.02pm: Feminist mentor Thio Su Mien has now stepped up to the mike, asks people to 'show respect to their elders'. She says she is charmed to appear in a book celebrating women. For the 2 times this old woman grabbed the mike, I thought she was going senile or something, because she was speaking gibberish and claimed the crowd has "no manners" and not shown her any respect. Are you God, Dr Thio? The way she talked was condescending and the crowd booed again. And I am really ashamed this woman used to be the Dean of Law in NUS.

4.10pm: NMP Siew Kum Hong asks for their team of scrutineers to monitor the vote counting process. New exco's legal counsel has agreed. Votes are being cast now. For a mere 2000 over votes, the counting body Deloitte took more than 3 hours to count. Not to mention, the New Exco (on behalf of innocent members like us) paid good expensive money to these service providers. We saw many of the Red Tshirts leaving in droves after casting their votes. Isn't this obvious?

3.04pm: Ms Sally Ang from the new exco shouted to the crowd: 'shut up and sit down'. The crowd boos and asks for her to be escorted out. Ms Lau apologises for Ms Ang's outburst. Ms Ang has just once again admonished the crowd sternly to let Ms Lau continue. Are we a dog, Sally? Josie apologised quite grudgingly though, credibility all thrown out of the window. Not that they have any in the first place.

4.28pm: Votes are now being counted. New exco discusses proposed constitutional amendments. To which the audience refused, arguing the New Exco may have to step down after the results, in which the amendments would then be null. Why waste time with their follow-the-book tactics?

4.46pm: There is now a 10-minute break. Proposed constitution amendments adjourned for a while.

5.06pm: In her right to reply, Ms Lau said former Aware President Constance Singam was asked to step out of a recent meeting after the March 28 AGM as sensitive matters were discussed. Ms Lau also said Ms Schutz Lee, Aware's ex-centre manager, was fired for 'insurbordination'. I observed Josie always gave one-liner replies and never could elaborate on her stance, albeit the many questions posed to her throughout the EGM. She kept regurgitating sequence of events which we all already knew. How could this person lead a by-now humongous organisation when she could not even address and control the crowd? One member stood up and commented she was shocked that the New Exco being the "leaders of AWARE are such lousy speakers!".

5.21pm: The old guard supporters question new exco on money spent on booking location, which has cost more than $20,000. At first Maureen the Treasurer said the numbers were still being compiled, to which the crowd said "we just need an estimate!". Only then she revealed it was more than $20,000 for the rental.

5.27pm: Ms Chew I-Jin reveals she stepped down as assistant treasurer due to a lack of transparency, as she was not given the infomation on costs incurred for EGM and security. To which the New Exco said Chew still held her assistant treasurer position to exercise her rights to ask then, and Chew replied she did but was shut out.

5.32pm: An associate member steps up to speak. Said Mrs Constance Singam reminded him of his dead mother. The three-time former Aware president gave him a 'motherly smile'. Many in the audience paid tributes to the old guards of AWARE for their dedicated work for 20 over years. It was heartwarming seeing all the old guards eloquently speaking up for AWARE which they had helped built.

5.52pm: A new member asks the new exco if helping all women include helping lesbians. Will it be less or more pro-gay? She says she is a devout Christian and sends her kids to Aware programme. Ms Lau says she will stand up for 'discriminated' lesbians. Again to much jeers from the audience. Another one-liner. Without elaborating.

5.59pm: Ms Maureen Ong said in an answer to a member,that they have spent about $90,000 in the one month the new exco has been in office. The audience was appalled. The Old Exco stood up and said if the New Exco has agreed to meet them (Old Guard) or approached them for help for the logistics, they could not have spent that kind of money. Even a lawyer from the Old Guard said he could have given free legal advise if asked, and not have AWARE New Exco paying expensive money to Rajah & Tann as legal advisor.

6.38pm: A sex education trainer from the Aware's comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) programme said that materials that were supposed to be privy only to trainers were posted on Aware's website. She says homosexuality takes up only 1.5 minutes of the three-hour lesson, compared to 30 minutes on abstinance. Again this showed no respect the New Exco has for confidentiality. They were quizzed why they had installed CCTV in the office when the premise was used to counsel distressed women, and asked why their husbands were allowed to rest and relax in AWARE office as it was a sanctuary for women.

8.10pm: Vote of no confidence on new Aware Exco passed with votes of 2 to 1. The assembly calls for mass resignation of exco. Josie and gang sat frozen in their seats, refusing to comment or move after repeated reminders by Old Exco and audience to step down graciously. So thick-skinned. What were you waiting for, Josie? Waiting for Dr Thio to save you?

8.15pm: Legally the new exco is allowed to stay in office even though vote of no confidence has been passed....., said Aware's legal counsel Gregory Vijayendran. However he also added..... "but it is only courtesy and common sense to resign after losing in a vote of confidence.” To which the Old Exco and crowd said the majority has voted and demanded that the New Exco stepped down.

8.43pm: Audience waiting for new exco president Josie Lau and team to come back on stage to respond whether they will resign or not, following no confidence vote on them. The crowd has been waiting for about 30 minutes for their reappearance to state their stand, yet they did not appear.

8.47pm: "I declare by their conduct they have resigned," declared former president of Aware, Ms Braema Mathi. New exco has made no appearance since vote count was made known. The crowd cheered and clapped.

8.51pm: Event organiser said new exco president Josie Lau and committee members are coming back shortly. Old guard exco says demand they return by 8.50pm or assembly will pass motion to remove the new team. Still they did not showed up, we waited and waited, thought they had disappeared in disgrace altogether.

8.59pm: Old exco proposed motion to remove Ms Josie Lau's exco. This was passed with two objections (out of the 1400+). It now wants to elect a new exco - position for position.

9.05pm: Ex-Aware president Dana Lam is nominated new President, Chew I Jin is vice-president, honorary secretary is Yap Chang Wi, Assistant Honorary Secretary is Corrina Lim, honorary treasurer is Tan Ju Hin, and Assistant treasurer is Lim Xiaoyun.

9.14pm: Ms Josie Lau comes on stage to make a statement. "We have decided to graciously step down. We wish Aware all the best." The new team from the Old Exco was elected back to office. Halfway when she appeared, Josie again said "be quiet" rather untactfully. I was wondering for a VP of Marketing in DBS, her PR skills were really shockingly lacking. She said she and her team would step down graciously (oh please, was that a gracious statement after making the crowd wait for 30 minutes?) and declared the meeting closed (again to boos and jeers from the crowd). Josie, you are no longer the President, you have no right to declare anything lah.


I do not know why people of such calibre and extreme staunch beliefs could have infiltrated an innocent NGO like AWARE, with no sense of shame, no leadership qualities, no experience whatsoever. And what spendthrifts they were! The positive part in this whole saga, was I witnessed such wonderful passion and fervour shown by the many Old Guards and members of AWARE, their dedicated work all these years, the support they have garnered and the voices of all women in Singapore were heard tonight. It was a very "high" and shiok feeling being able to witness this momentous event. Much better than a rock concert.

Good Luck, Dana and team! And welcome back!