Let us be gracious victors.

[scoopdreams]

There have been a lot of buzz online after AWARE went back into the hands of the old guard - and most of it are calls for more blood to be let.

There's the matter of the $90,000, and the rude manner in which Thio/Josie & Co have dealt with the predominantly pro-white audience. It seems as if until one camp is truly still and not breathing, will the other camp rest their efforts.

The question begets: how far is far? What are the real reasons for pursuing the matters to such ends? What do all of the bloodlust-induced proponents seek to achieve?

The Thio's camp spending of $90,000, while it did not go through the proper approval channels, is money already spent. And it was spent under remarkable circumstances - a fast-swelling membership, the need for a big EGM venue, changes in the AWARE Centre itself. Many other people would have made the same, or even worse, decisions, under such extraordinary duress.

Some well-meaning audience said they'd offer their services pro bono, if asked. Josie had hardly time to breathe since she took up the position, and being predominantly from the corporate world, she just knew how to blow money to resolve issues. Can we truly fault her for that? Did she have enough time to seek pro bono help? Will pro bono help come even?

And as to the matter of the Thio camp being rude - I'd say the audience was equally rude. Ask yourself honestly was the Thio camp being given ample airing for their views? Barely had they opened their mouth for a minute, and boos and jeers start coming their way.

I always believed in the age-old adage "better a friend than an enemy". No matter what, the Thio camp also represents the views of a segment of the women's population.

If any of the old guard is reading this, I sincerely hope you all can be gracious victors. Pursue the matter to a reasonable degree, do not wreck any more lives than is needed. Josie and the rest will not be able to hold their heads up in society for a long time to come, and that by itself is already ample punishment. Remind yourself of all the things about your opponents that have disgusted you, and beware lest you become like them too due to frenzy.

Live and let live, do not treat your fellow women as such, irregardless of how they have treated you previously.

 

[Lee Hsien Tau]

Rename AWARE as Association for Women Allowing Rectal Entry ?

 

[dysentry]

A great day for democracy... religious fundamentalism has no place in Singapore.

 

[SneeringTree]

$90,000 is not a small sum of money. Excluding the expenses used for staging the EAGM- which I agree Josie and gang should be reasonably excused for (even though I still don't understand why they need an "events organizer" and how much that costs and if that company is related to anyone of them), they still made quick work of at least $50,000.

How, in the midst of the tensions and contentions in the past three weeks, could they have spent so much money? The constitution of AWARE explicitly says that it cannot spend more than 20,000 a month.

I think unfortunately, the old guard (now new again!) must seriously consider getting back these money if it was found that Josie et al have spent inexplicably and indiscriminately. Aware owes it to the sponsors and donors.

I am involved in a small non-profit organization too, and let me tell you for people like us, $90,000 is a lot of money! Our entire year's budget is not even more than $12,000!

 

[papa san]

We've witnessed the comeback atrosity of the extremists Talibans in the SWAT valley and other parts of Pakistan.

What about the recent gruelsome resurgence activities of the Tiger Tamils in Sri Lanka ?

You want to be gracious victors to Josie & Thio clans for their comeback???? Think again???

 

[Boliao]

One thing I learned from this episode? Woman are vicious and petty.. I think more blood will come.

 

[bellepepper02]

There have been a lot of buzz online after AWARE went back into the hands of the old guard - and most of it are calls for more blood to be let.

There's the matter of the $90,000, and the rude manner in which Thio/Josie & Co have dealt with the predominantly pro-white audience. It seems as if until one camp is truly still and not breathing, will the other camp rest their efforts.

The question begets: how far is far? What are the real reasons for pursuing the matters to such ends? What do all of the bloodlust-induced proponents seek to achieve?

The Thio's camp spending of $90,000, while it did not go through the proper approval channels, is money already spent. And it was spent under remarkable circumstances - a fast-swelling membership, the need for a big EGM venue, changes in the AWARE Centre itself. Many other people would have made the same, or even worse, decisions, under such extraordinary duress.

Some well-meaning audience said they'd offer their services pro bono, if asked. Josie had hardly time to breathe since she took up the position, and being predominantly from the corporate world, she just knew how to blow money to resolve issues. Can we truly fault her for that? Did she have enough time to seek pro bono help? Will pro bono help come even?

And as to the matter of the Thio camp being rude - I'd say the audience was equally rude. Ask yourself honestly was the Thio camp being given ample airing for their views? Barely had they opened their mouth for a minute, and boos and jeers start coming their way.

I always believed in the age-old adage "better a friend than an enemy". No matter what, the Thio camp also represents the views of a segment of the women's population.

If any of the old guard is reading this, I sincerely hope you all can be gracious victors. Pursue the matter to a reasonable degree, do not wreck any more lives than is needed. Josie and the rest will not be able to hold their heads up in society for a long time to come, and that by itself is already ample punishment. Remind yourself of all the things about your opponents that have disgusted you, and beware lest you become like them too due to frenzy.

Live and let live, do not treat your fellow women as such, irregardless of how they have treated you previously.

If we just let the matter rest, we would be covering up a lot of what was immensely wrong about this takeover, including its psychological and criminal aspects.

Yes, we can understand that Josie Lau worked under difficult circumstances organising the EGM. But the nature of the high expenditure was caused by the fact that these women did not realise that AWARE was not a corporation but a not-for-profit NGO. What right did they have then to stand for office?

They were also aware of the Constitutional proviso that they could not spend beyond 20K without members' consent. Why did they not seek members' consent first? Because they decided that our voice did not count. Throughout this, they behaved as if they owned AWARE, sacking people left, right and centre, without heed of the advice of the past president and other older members on the exco. They were focussed on only one thing--re-shaping AWARE to fit their religious ideals. This was an usurpation of an NGO with no regard for its ideals and its core meanings.

They sought to change the meanings of secularism and feminism. What right did they have to do that, given they were anti-secular and anti-feminist, to force others with different beliefs to live with their definitions. Just think of what would have happened if the old guard had lost its bid, and you will have a notion of the immense setback they could have caused for Singapore women.

What they did, the way they used every legal loophole, to hold on to power, and to dictate their philosophy to others traumatised the older members of AWARE, who had sacrificed much for the organisation and for women--their family life, career success. Does this not need recourse?

The nature of the way they went about spending was criminal. There are considerations about referring them to the Commissioner of Charities. We should not let them get away with this.

By going after them legally, AWARE will be insisting that people respect its core values, its history, its Constitution, its membership. It will be saying that the secular and progressive ideals of a section of society, even if they may not belong to the alleged conservative mainstream, have a space in our society, which is protected by the laws of the land. Just voting them out is not sufficient because actually, legally, they could have stayed out the rest of their term. We could have dissolved them under the Registry of Societies Act, but only by appealing to the Minister. That would have meant inviting a paternalistic government role into civil society.

Yes, we voted them out. But if the police had not intervened, we would have had the meeting adjacent to a large Christian conference. I have no doubt that we would not have been able to carry out a vote of no confidence then. They would have brought in people from the churches to represent the "secular, conservative" point of view.

In many ways, our victory was a fragile one. We just escaped through the skin of our teeth!

As for the adage "Better a friend than an enemy," the old guard tried that with them. They refused to allow this. Yesterday, we were forced to be aggressive, nasty--values that contravene the core values of trust and respect of AWARE, and the loss of which made Constance Singam cry. We could not have won otherwise. They must pay the price for their several-angled violation of AWARE. They should not look back on this as a free ride for them.

 

[Airlib]

I believe the old guards will be gracious enough to make sure they pursue whatever they need to pursue so as to give the now increased membership an answer.
With regards to the $90k spent, I believe the reason why the then exco could just blow that amount away without any consideration largely came from the fact that they did not even have the slightest experience in running a non-profit organisation. Being stuck in a corporate world for so long, I believe Josie's style will be just spend first, talk later... But then for a non-profit org, $90k is hell lots of money, if not why is there a constitution to state that any expense above $20k must seek member's approval.
Also the money spent is not just for the event yesterday, its also to change what lock lah, door lah, put CCTV lah. All these I believe were the new exco's plan to keep the old guards out. Thats why the expenses.
While I believe yesterday's event if the then exco would spent time to come out with a plan (rather than engage event organiser). The cost won't be that high too.
Afterall, if the then exco would be Gracious enough to tap on the volunteers to help things might be different. Or maybe because of their style of running Aware for the past month, theres no more volunteers for them to tap on other than the exco members left.

 

[Privpho]

As the old adage goes, the deposed EXCO must be crushed totally and made to answer for what they did or they could easily make trouble for the new committee again in future. "Better a friend than an enemy" does not apply when ur dealing with Thioliban and her pussycats.

 

[Big Brother]

"Better a friend than an enemy" does not apply when ur dealing with Thioliban and her pussycats.

Precisely, when you are dealing with extremists like Thioliban and her pussycats. They have admitted to their extremists views. They have shown us how they stoop so low with their dirty takeover tactics at AWARE.

They will make a comeback if they are given a chance.

The common sense in the "Art of War" must be used against such extremists and destroy them totally and eternally. Maybe only the Father in Heaven can save them.

 

[KKC007]

As for the adage "Better a friend than an enemy," the old guard tried that with them. They refused to allow this. Yesterday, we were forced to be aggressive, nasty--values that contravene the core values of trust and respect of AWARE, and the loss of which made Constance Singam cry. We could not have won otherwise. They must pay the price for their several-angled violation of AWARE. They should not look back on this as a free ride for them.

Go through the expenses and if any irregularities (given the extraoordinary circumstances) are found, let the authorities handle it. With the media limelight on AWARE, shift the focus back to what it wants to achieve - equality for women, all women. Do not dwell on the thiolibans. Make full use of the media.

The old guards will appear magnamious and may gain more support, perhaps even from COOS' congregation.

They should also consider scroobal's suggestion of a book on AWARE's history, given it is their 25th anniversary next year.

 

[Zombie]

If the money was spent illegally and that everybody knows about it, then it is not up to the 1-day-old new exco to say: "Hey, we forgive and forget about the money spent."

 

[commoner]

a gracious retreat for thioleban and josie and her pussies or cut the grass and remove the roots also?

See what happens when the gahmen was gracious to taliban in afgan and see what happens to Tang Liang Hong and Francis Seow,,,

which way will you choose?

 

[mscitw]

Ugly Thio and her zealots DESERVES NO POLITE GESTURES.

They are experts at politicking with fanatic pastors e.g. Hong/Yang, sacking dissenters and changing locks.

 

[bellepepper02]

They should also consider scroobal's suggestion of a book on AWARE's history, given it is their 25th anniversary next year.

But this time, no p 73 mention of the Feminist Mentor?

 

[bluewolf]

I think the best line of action is to make sure that this nonsense doesn't happen again.

1. Report to CPIB and charge Josie and co. with CBT. Make sure they don't come out and make trouble again.

2. Charge Derek Hong with sedition. Activating a congregation to takeover a secular organization is dangerous. Using the pulpit to do such things destabilizes Singapore's delicate religious balance.

3. Disband COOS and outlaw it. It has overstepped its position as a religious organization. This is homosexuality this time, but there's a thousands different sins in the bible, so it can easily move against any other group another time. Imagine moving its flock against muslims and buddhists because they don't believe in God....

 

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

Oh but what a show...NMP Siew being asked to sit with the menWhen Margie riled Sally; Don't harass me, I'm just a man (Marshall Lee a COOS wanker who apparently felt that a woman sitting next to him was hissing like Catwoman); Red, white and new; Tan Wah Kiat saying "The only masks I wear are SKIIs and i share those with my wife" responding to accusations that the male chapter was a mask for homos, Irene Ng, Pat Mok and gang, Dr Thio and gang Dump Struck and retreating to a rubbish dump...

I must say that through all this Josie appeared to hold up quite well and was pretty clam and cool, tough cookie albeit a misguided one...oh yes and finally just would like to say that I enjoyed CNA Pearl Forss' account on the saga, wished I could give her a smack on the lips when I heard the landslide vote in favour of the old guard:p

One thing I learned from this episode? Woman are vicious and petty.. I think more blood will come.