Oh but I agree...now let's see whether Josie and her Pussycats truly mean what they say or are they hypocrites instead?...Saying that, the "Pro Family" bit appears to stand out like a sore thumb
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Aware Ambushed & they had no clue
- Thread starter scroobal
- Start date
She tried to get DBS to donate to Focus on the Family, an American Christian organization, which is anti-gay, and also anti-premarital sex. Seems DBS customers queried that.
As for Conrad's article, I think the whole point of it was to suggest that someone else was prodding DBS. He ends the article asking if DBS' statements were prompted by some other factor we don't know about.
Oh but I agree...now let's see whether Josie and her Pussycats truly mean what they say or are they hypocrites instead?...Saying that, the "Pro Family" bit appears to stand out like a sore thumb
That's the key thing, isn't it. "Pro-family" sets off a lot of alarm bells. Does that mean they will counsel battered women and send them back to abusive husbands? Cos that's the pro-family position on that. The family is the centre of patriarchal culture, so for a feminist organisation to say it is "pro-family" so baldly and without qualification is weird. Also, to say they are pro-Singapore, when the dominant meaning of that in Singapore is that one is pro-government.
"Pro-family" is really nothing more than a catch-all phrase used by the religious right to mean their vision of how society and social life should function.
April 18, 2009 - ST Online
NEW Aware president Josie Lau issued this letter to the media yesterday:
OLD GUARD'S RESPONSE
The 160 Aware members who have called for an extraordinary general meeting yesterday issued this response to the statement by new president Josie Lau:
I refer to the report, 'Unknowns knock out veterans at Aware polls' (The Straits Times, April 10) and various letters and media articles that followed.
We are delighted in the renewed interest in the reinvigorated Aware and its democratically elected Executive Committee.
There are a few important factors that warrant making, which will lend clarity to the nature of the electoral process which sparked such intense attention.
First, outgoing president Constance Singam nominated Claire Nazar as successor. Nazar nominated six out of 11 new exco members with the Old Guard's support.
Ten of 12 positions were openly contested. Old Guard Chew I-Jin's position was not contested. The entire meeting lasted 3-1/2 hours as some 20 candidates gave electoral speeches and fielded questions from the floor.
As Mrs Singam noted at the AGM's beginning, Aware's recruitment drive had succeeded through its marketing efforts. From a high of 675 in 1998, ordinary membership plummeted to 253 in 2008. At last count, there are about 400 members, and membership continues to grow at an impressive rate.
The new exco members were eager to start work. However, there were repeated delays in convening the first exco meeting. Mrs Nazar kept re-scheduling the meeting.
The first meeting was held on April 7. On April 8, Mrs Nazar abruptly and unilaterally resigned by e-mail. This left us president-less. The Aware constitution requires seven days' notice to call exco meetings. We acted swiftly and called the second exco meeting on April 15. Josie Lau was named new president unopposed. A press release was immediately issued.
As president, I am disappointed that before the second exco meeting on April 15, a requisition for an EOGM for the apparent purpose of replacing the elected exco was handed to Aware on April 14. This contained 160 signatures. No more than five signatories were present at the March 28 AGM attended by 99 ordinary members and three associate members. Some 120 of the 160 signatories appear to have been recruited just after the AGM in time to swell support for the requisition.
In the face of intense media and cyber scrutiny, I must ask this question: Why have some people cast aspersions on our good intentions? Why are they so angry with us? We've only just begun.
We seek to improve the quality of life of women in Singapore. We are pro-women, pro-family and pro-Singapore. What is so objectionable about that? Does the old guard harbour an alternative agenda? If so, they should disclose their motives and objectives fully and honestly.
Aware is a secular organisation. Its members come from different races, walks of life and hold different belief systems. Our commitment to advancing the cause of women unites us. As a democratic society, we cherish viewpoint diversity.
I have full confidence in my new exco team. We know many challenges lie ahead but this team is ready for the task.
Josie Lau
President, Aware
NEW Aware president Josie Lau issued this letter to the media yesterday:
OLD GUARD'S RESPONSE
The 160 Aware members who have called for an extraordinary general meeting yesterday issued this response to the statement by new president Josie Lau:
I refer to the report, 'Unknowns knock out veterans at Aware polls' (The Straits Times, April 10) and various letters and media articles that followed.
We are delighted in the renewed interest in the reinvigorated Aware and its democratically elected Executive Committee.
There are a few important factors that warrant making, which will lend clarity to the nature of the electoral process which sparked such intense attention.
First, outgoing president Constance Singam nominated Claire Nazar as successor. Nazar nominated six out of 11 new exco members with the Old Guard's support.
Ten of 12 positions were openly contested. Old Guard Chew I-Jin's position was not contested. The entire meeting lasted 3-1/2 hours as some 20 candidates gave electoral speeches and fielded questions from the floor.
As Mrs Singam noted at the AGM's beginning, Aware's recruitment drive had succeeded through its marketing efforts. From a high of 675 in 1998, ordinary membership plummeted to 253 in 2008. At last count, there are about 400 members, and membership continues to grow at an impressive rate.
The new exco members were eager to start work. However, there were repeated delays in convening the first exco meeting. Mrs Nazar kept re-scheduling the meeting.
The first meeting was held on April 7. On April 8, Mrs Nazar abruptly and unilaterally resigned by e-mail. This left us president-less. The Aware constitution requires seven days' notice to call exco meetings. We acted swiftly and called the second exco meeting on April 15. Josie Lau was named new president unopposed. A press release was immediately issued.
As president, I am disappointed that before the second exco meeting on April 15, a requisition for an EOGM for the apparent purpose of replacing the elected exco was handed to Aware on April 14. This contained 160 signatures. No more than five signatories were present at the March 28 AGM attended by 99 ordinary members and three associate members. Some 120 of the 160 signatories appear to have been recruited just after the AGM in time to swell support for the requisition.
In the face of intense media and cyber scrutiny, I must ask this question: Why have some people cast aspersions on our good intentions? Why are they so angry with us? We've only just begun.
We seek to improve the quality of life of women in Singapore. We are pro-women, pro-family and pro-Singapore. What is so objectionable about that? Does the old guard harbour an alternative agenda? If so, they should disclose their motives and objectives fully and honestly.
Aware is a secular organisation. Its members come from different races, walks of life and hold different belief systems. Our commitment to advancing the cause of women unites us. As a democratic society, we cherish viewpoint diversity.
I have full confidence in my new exco team. We know many challenges lie ahead but this team is ready for the task.
Josie Lau
President, Aware
OLD GUARD'S RESPONSE
The 160 Aware members who have called for an extraordinary general meeting yesterday issued this response to the statement by new president Josie Lau:
WE ARE astonished that the new Exco is asking the 'old guard' to disclose our motives and objectives! Our motives and objectives have been fully visible for nearly 25 years in the policies and programmes that have been carried out by Aware, and which we want to see continued.
It is the motives of the new Exco that have not been made clear. Our initial questions remain: What do you want to do in Aware that is fundamentally different from what was already being done?
On Wednesday the new Exco released a statement saying they want to 'honour' the work of past Aware members and intend to 'build' on the solid foundations laid by the founders.
This raises the question: If you think the work Aware has done all these years is so good and you want to 'honour' and 'build' on it, why the need to muscle your way onto the Exco? Such a tactic suggests there may be a hidden agenda that may be contrary to the stance and ethos of Aware.
Various developments since the AGM have only deepened our concerns about the motivations of the new Exco.
Braema Mathi, a past Aware president, was informed in a curt e-mail on Thursday April 16 that her term of office as chair of the Cedaw (Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women) sub-committee had ended on March 28, the day of the AGM. She was told to hand over all work in progress to the Exco on Friday April 17.
Braema headed the Cedaw sub-committee for five years and, with special training by the International Women's Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific, presented Aware's shadow Cedaw report at the United Nations two years ago. She has extensive experience of the Cedaw process and to dismiss her services midway during the writing of the current report seems counter-productive.
We noted with alarm DBS Bank's statements in the last two days about the professional conduct of the new Aware president. It is highly unusual for a company to issue such media releases and in particular to make a statement such as this: 'We are disappointed that Josie knowingly disregarded DBS' staff code of conduct twice. Such an attitude is not one that DBS, or any other organisation, can condone in a leader.'
We were further alarmed by media reports that the new Aware president led the marketing team in DBS's credit card campaign last year which supported the evangelical Christian organisation Focus on the Family. Aware is a secular organisation that embraces diversity of race, age, religion, culture and sexuality. It must remain so.
The 160 Aware members who have called for an extraordinary general meeting yesterday issued this response to the statement by new president Josie Lau:
WE ARE astonished that the new Exco is asking the 'old guard' to disclose our motives and objectives! Our motives and objectives have been fully visible for nearly 25 years in the policies and programmes that have been carried out by Aware, and which we want to see continued.
It is the motives of the new Exco that have not been made clear. Our initial questions remain: What do you want to do in Aware that is fundamentally different from what was already being done?
On Wednesday the new Exco released a statement saying they want to 'honour' the work of past Aware members and intend to 'build' on the solid foundations laid by the founders.
This raises the question: If you think the work Aware has done all these years is so good and you want to 'honour' and 'build' on it, why the need to muscle your way onto the Exco? Such a tactic suggests there may be a hidden agenda that may be contrary to the stance and ethos of Aware.
Various developments since the AGM have only deepened our concerns about the motivations of the new Exco.
Braema Mathi, a past Aware president, was informed in a curt e-mail on Thursday April 16 that her term of office as chair of the Cedaw (Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women) sub-committee had ended on March 28, the day of the AGM. She was told to hand over all work in progress to the Exco on Friday April 17.
Braema headed the Cedaw sub-committee for five years and, with special training by the International Women's Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific, presented Aware's shadow Cedaw report at the United Nations two years ago. She has extensive experience of the Cedaw process and to dismiss her services midway during the writing of the current report seems counter-productive.
We noted with alarm DBS Bank's statements in the last two days about the professional conduct of the new Aware president. It is highly unusual for a company to issue such media releases and in particular to make a statement such as this: 'We are disappointed that Josie knowingly disregarded DBS' staff code of conduct twice. Such an attitude is not one that DBS, or any other organisation, can condone in a leader.'
We were further alarmed by media reports that the new Aware president led the marketing team in DBS's credit card campaign last year which supported the evangelical Christian organisation Focus on the Family. Aware is a secular organisation that embraces diversity of race, age, religion, culture and sexuality. It must remain so.
Whatever it is, based on your three scenarios, Claire Nazar is no longer a trustworthy person as well. She also looked stupid to me at the moment.
Z
Zombie
Guest
This one is better. 
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To Zombie,
I disagree, the very public catfight and power grab by the Christian Right have very very wide repercussion from now on. It is very obvious from the media that they are pro Aware old guard. The Church of Anglican whatever brunch had made a very very serious strategic error and it will end up in tears for them.
The silly women who are all in the exco are named and detailed in the press. Which company will want to hire them from now on? Fair enough if they are willing to sacrifice for the greater cause but I am pretty sure the Christian community will be aghast at what they are doing as well.
I will not be surprised if the majority of Aware members are Christians as well. This can easily turn into a witchhunt for Christian Right in other civil societies after Aware's old guard managed to get their power back.
What's left for the Christian Right? They will retreat to their Church in Margaret Drive and complain bitterly about immorality in Singapore with the impending opening of casinos and repeal of the 377 of the Penal Code.
I disagree, the very public catfight and power grab by the Christian Right have very very wide repercussion from now on. It is very obvious from the media that they are pro Aware old guard. The Church of Anglican whatever brunch had made a very very serious strategic error and it will end up in tears for them.
The silly women who are all in the exco are named and detailed in the press. Which company will want to hire them from now on? Fair enough if they are willing to sacrifice for the greater cause but I am pretty sure the Christian community will be aghast at what they are doing as well.
I will not be surprised if the majority of Aware members are Christians as well. This can easily turn into a witchhunt for Christian Right in other civil societies after Aware's old guard managed to get their power back.
What's left for the Christian Right? They will retreat to their Church in Margaret Drive and complain bitterly about immorality in Singapore with the impending opening of casinos and repeal of the 377 of the Penal Code.
Yes, it is clear that the Prostitute Mass Media and obviously, by extension, PAP, does not support the new exco at all. The PAP in particular must be aghast at how the Christian right can politically grab power just like that. It is not even about sexuality issues anymore; this could happen in the Cat Welfare Society and the establishment will still sit up and notice.
Since the new exco refuses to answer anything about their background, the Press has hunted each and everyone of them down; even highlighting the fact that many belong to the same church. And it's the church that Thio Su Min and her daughter Thio Li Ann attend too.
What a PR disaster for the Christian right. Fancy them accusing everyone of having an agenda when they are the ones who not only have an angenda but actively try to make the agenda a reality.
Perhaps the gay & lesbian communities should galvanize themselves to attend the EGM in full force since Josie has now declared its only pro-family AWARE & nothing else.
I'm heterosexual and a liberal so I believe there is space in this world for the gay & lesbian communities too. I've met some folks from this group and they are law abiding people, there is no harm in them. Its only the religious fundamentalists that go on & on & on about them.
Sometimes I wonder whether these religious fundamentalists when they are in a survive or die situation would allow a homosexual to help them eg air crash & the heavy casualties are say a family of religious fundamentalists while the able bodied ones who survived are the gays & lesbians. Both sides knowingly are aware of it as they found out while on board the plane before the crash. Homos reach out to religious fundamentalist to help them so that they can live. But will idiots like these fundamentalists accept their help????
I'm heterosexual and a liberal so I believe there is space in this world for the gay & lesbian communities too. I've met some folks from this group and they are law abiding people, there is no harm in them. Its only the religious fundamentalists that go on & on & on about them.
Sometimes I wonder whether these religious fundamentalists when they are in a survive or die situation would allow a homosexual to help them eg air crash & the heavy casualties are say a family of religious fundamentalists while the able bodied ones who survived are the gays & lesbians. Both sides knowingly are aware of it as they found out while on board the plane before the crash. Homos reach out to religious fundamentalist to help them so that they can live. But will idiots like these fundamentalists accept their help????
Z
Zombie
Guest
Conrad is absoultely right. DBS is being silly. People from all walks of lide serve in many civil, private and public organisations. DBS has no business to dictate what they do privately unless the organisation they are involved in is conflict with DBS's mission.
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THE STRAITS TIMES
April 18, 2009
AWARE'S POWER COUPLE
Quiet, devoted to religious activities
Alan Chin expressed his views on homosexuality in letters to ST Forum
By Tan Dawn Wei
IF HIS wife is a livewire, he is the quiet one.
Friends say Dr Alan Chin Yew Liang, 51, has never been known to be the life of the party.
In fact, he stopped going to parties in recent years, preferring to devote his time to religious activities, said a longtime friend.
Dr Chin made his presence felt at the Aware AGM on March 28 even though he could not vote.
Aware has long accepted men as associate members and he joined recently. His wife joined in January this year.
Old guard members at the AGM said that he was one of the many unfamiliar new faces who turned up and, during the elections, he helped to count votes.
Later, when they checked to find out who he was, all they could find was that he had penned six letters to The Straits Times between May and August 2007 speaking out against the homosexual lifestyle, and citing the higher incidence of HIV cases among homosexuals.
In one letter, he said that homosexuals could change their sexual orientation.
He and his wife, Josie, have been attending the Anglican Church Of Our Saviour at Margaret Drive since 2001.
They were married in the 1980s at the Anglican St Andrew's Cathedral, soon after he graduated from medical school at the National University of Singapore.
He and three classmates set up Lifeline Medical Group, which has since expanded to encompass nine general practitioner clinics and one aesthetic clinic.
Among the partners is well-known watch collector and horology expert Bernard Cheong, 51, who has known Dr Chin since they were first-year medical students.
'He's a nice guy, and he and Josie are a very loving couple. I would definitely want him as my doctor,' Dr Cheong said with a hearty laugh.
When The Straits Times called him, Dr Chin declined to be interviewed, but asked to be contacted through his e-mail address.
He did not respond to questions nor subsequent messages.
But in an interview published in the Singapore Medical Association's newsletter in January 2007, he described himself and his interests.
He said his parents had the biggest influence on his early life, and his father told him when he was in primary school that God gave him intelligence and he would succeed if he worked hard, he said in the same interview.
He said that he spent Sunday mornings going to church and spending time with his family, his favourite book was the Bible, and his favourite song was Faith by Jason Upton, an American Christian singer-songwriter.
He also let on some nuggets about himself: his biggest indulgence was buying a BMW Cabriolet and he thought everyone should watch The Lord Of The Rings because it was the 'best show and trilogy ever!'.
The BMW Cabriolet has since given way to a Toyota MPV, a friend said.
In the same 2007 interview, when asked what he wanted to be remembered for, he said: a loving husband and father and a loyal friend.
April 18, 2009
AWARE'S POWER COUPLE
Quiet, devoted to religious activities
Alan Chin expressed his views on homosexuality in letters to ST Forum
By Tan Dawn Wei
IF HIS wife is a livewire, he is the quiet one.
Friends say Dr Alan Chin Yew Liang, 51, has never been known to be the life of the party.
In fact, he stopped going to parties in recent years, preferring to devote his time to religious activities, said a longtime friend.
Dr Chin made his presence felt at the Aware AGM on March 28 even though he could not vote.
Aware has long accepted men as associate members and he joined recently. His wife joined in January this year.
Old guard members at the AGM said that he was one of the many unfamiliar new faces who turned up and, during the elections, he helped to count votes.
Later, when they checked to find out who he was, all they could find was that he had penned six letters to The Straits Times between May and August 2007 speaking out against the homosexual lifestyle, and citing the higher incidence of HIV cases among homosexuals.
In one letter, he said that homosexuals could change their sexual orientation.
He and his wife, Josie, have been attending the Anglican Church Of Our Saviour at Margaret Drive since 2001.
They were married in the 1980s at the Anglican St Andrew's Cathedral, soon after he graduated from medical school at the National University of Singapore.
He and three classmates set up Lifeline Medical Group, which has since expanded to encompass nine general practitioner clinics and one aesthetic clinic.
Among the partners is well-known watch collector and horology expert Bernard Cheong, 51, who has known Dr Chin since they were first-year medical students.
'He's a nice guy, and he and Josie are a very loving couple. I would definitely want him as my doctor,' Dr Cheong said with a hearty laugh.
When The Straits Times called him, Dr Chin declined to be interviewed, but asked to be contacted through his e-mail address.
He did not respond to questions nor subsequent messages.
But in an interview published in the Singapore Medical Association's newsletter in January 2007, he described himself and his interests.
He said his parents had the biggest influence on his early life, and his father told him when he was in primary school that God gave him intelligence and he would succeed if he worked hard, he said in the same interview.
He said that he spent Sunday mornings going to church and spending time with his family, his favourite book was the Bible, and his favourite song was Faith by Jason Upton, an American Christian singer-songwriter.
He also let on some nuggets about himself: his biggest indulgence was buying a BMW Cabriolet and he thought everyone should watch The Lord Of The Rings because it was the 'best show and trilogy ever!'.
The BMW Cabriolet has since given way to a Toyota MPV, a friend said.
In the same 2007 interview, when asked what he wanted to be remembered for, he said: a loving husband and father and a loyal friend.
THE STRAITS TIMES
April 18, 2009
Sociable, chatty and a lover of good food
WHEN Ms Josie Lau Meng Lee has her wonton mee, she likes the noodles cooked in fresh, boiling water. If it is not done right, she sends it back.
That is how finicky the 48-year-old DBS vice- president and new Aware chief is about her food, said those who know her.
None of her colleagues and ex-colleagues who spoke to The Straits Times had heard her speak about involvement in volunteer work.
But they were well-acquainted with her gourmet and jetsetting lifestyle, cultivated in part by her work organising glamorous fashion, food and lifestyle events, and accompanying her doctor-husband to medical conferences overseas.
In previous interviews with this paper, Ms Lau said that she and her husband, Dr Alan Chin, had not missed a single World Gourmet Summit since its inception in 1997.
'I live to eat, rather than eat to live,' she said in a 2004 interview, adding that she attended seven Gourmet Summit events that year.
'I'm the type who would rather go hungry than have terrible food,' she said then. 'I send things back to the kitchen if they're not up to standard, even wonton noodles from hawker stalls.'
She was known to frequent upmarket eateries as well as hawker centres.
Friends describe the well-groomed mother of two teenagers as sociable and chatty. One long-time friend said she was a 'complete opposite' of her more serious husband.
Before joining DBS, Ms Lau rose through the ranks at the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), where she spent 15 years, mostly marketing lifestyle events.
Her CV, released by Aware, said she was instrumental in developing high-profile events like the Singapore Food Festival, Great Singapore Sale and Singapore Fashion Festival.
A former colleague at the STB recalled another side of Ms Lau, saying she enjoyed listening to Christian music in her office.
She would also tell single colleagues that if they wanted to find a spouse, the best place to look was in church. And she would encourage them to attend.
As for areas she will be interested in in her new role, the Aware write-up said she was most concerned about work-life balance and the role of mothers as a stabilising factor in a family.
Ms Lau made brief comments to reporters after her appointment as president on Wednesday night, but has otherwise remained uncontactable.
She has not taken questions about herself or her plans for Aware, or DBS Bank's public criticism of her for flouting bank rules by joining the Aware exco without its approval and defying her bosses' advice against becoming president.
TAN DAWN WEI
April 18, 2009
Sociable, chatty and a lover of good food
WHEN Ms Josie Lau Meng Lee has her wonton mee, she likes the noodles cooked in fresh, boiling water. If it is not done right, she sends it back.
That is how finicky the 48-year-old DBS vice- president and new Aware chief is about her food, said those who know her.
None of her colleagues and ex-colleagues who spoke to The Straits Times had heard her speak about involvement in volunteer work.
But they were well-acquainted with her gourmet and jetsetting lifestyle, cultivated in part by her work organising glamorous fashion, food and lifestyle events, and accompanying her doctor-husband to medical conferences overseas.
In previous interviews with this paper, Ms Lau said that she and her husband, Dr Alan Chin, had not missed a single World Gourmet Summit since its inception in 1997.
'I live to eat, rather than eat to live,' she said in a 2004 interview, adding that she attended seven Gourmet Summit events that year.
'I'm the type who would rather go hungry than have terrible food,' she said then. 'I send things back to the kitchen if they're not up to standard, even wonton noodles from hawker stalls.'
She was known to frequent upmarket eateries as well as hawker centres.
Friends describe the well-groomed mother of two teenagers as sociable and chatty. One long-time friend said she was a 'complete opposite' of her more serious husband.
Before joining DBS, Ms Lau rose through the ranks at the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), where she spent 15 years, mostly marketing lifestyle events.
Her CV, released by Aware, said she was instrumental in developing high-profile events like the Singapore Food Festival, Great Singapore Sale and Singapore Fashion Festival.
A former colleague at the STB recalled another side of Ms Lau, saying she enjoyed listening to Christian music in her office.
She would also tell single colleagues that if they wanted to find a spouse, the best place to look was in church. And she would encourage them to attend.
As for areas she will be interested in in her new role, the Aware write-up said she was most concerned about work-life balance and the role of mothers as a stabilising factor in a family.
Ms Lau made brief comments to reporters after her appointment as president on Wednesday night, but has otherwise remained uncontactable.
She has not taken questions about herself or her plans for Aware, or DBS Bank's public criticism of her for flouting bank rules by joining the Aware exco without its approval and defying her bosses' advice against becoming president.
TAN DAWN WEI
THE STRAITS TIMES
April 18, 2009
Some attend the same church
EVEN as the Aware saga continues to unfold, it appears that some of the newcomers in its leadership are familiar faces at the Anglican Church Of Our Saviour at Margaret Drive.
Aside from new Aware president Josie Lau and her husband Alan Chin, the others are believed to be Ms Charlotte Wong, Ms Irene Yee, Ms Jenica Chua, Ms Maureen Ong and Ms Sally Ang.
So far, the new Aware leaders have refused to answer questions about whether they knew each other before sweeping the elections three weeks ago.
According to a long-time friend, Dr Chin is related to former law dean Dr Thio Su Mien and her daughter, Nominated Member of Parliament Professor Thio Li-Ann.
When contacted, the NMP declined to answer any questions. Dr Chin did not respond to questions e-mailed to him.
But checks yesterday showed that Dr Thio Su Mien and her husband, Mr Thio Gim Hock, the chief executive officer of property investor Overseas Union Enterprise, attend the church and also hold regular faith-healing sessions at their home.
Senior pastor Derek Hong was not answering any questions about his church members or Aware yesterday.
Asked if any of the new Aware exco members attended his church, he replied: 'No comment.'
Housed in a renovated former cinema near Commonwealth, the church has a congregation of about 4,000.
It takes a strong stand against homosexuality and states so on its website.
'Homosexual practice is contrary to God's Word. So we stand against that and the active and aggressive promotion of such behaviour,' it states.
It believes homosexuals can change, and has a programme to counsel and help those who want to give up 'homosexual thoughts, tendencies and practices'.
TAN DAWN WEI
Additional reporting by Jamie Ee
April 18, 2009
Some attend the same church
EVEN as the Aware saga continues to unfold, it appears that some of the newcomers in its leadership are familiar faces at the Anglican Church Of Our Saviour at Margaret Drive.
Aside from new Aware president Josie Lau and her husband Alan Chin, the others are believed to be Ms Charlotte Wong, Ms Irene Yee, Ms Jenica Chua, Ms Maureen Ong and Ms Sally Ang.
So far, the new Aware leaders have refused to answer questions about whether they knew each other before sweeping the elections three weeks ago.
According to a long-time friend, Dr Chin is related to former law dean Dr Thio Su Mien and her daughter, Nominated Member of Parliament Professor Thio Li-Ann.
When contacted, the NMP declined to answer any questions. Dr Chin did not respond to questions e-mailed to him.
But checks yesterday showed that Dr Thio Su Mien and her husband, Mr Thio Gim Hock, the chief executive officer of property investor Overseas Union Enterprise, attend the church and also hold regular faith-healing sessions at their home.
Senior pastor Derek Hong was not answering any questions about his church members or Aware yesterday.
Asked if any of the new Aware exco members attended his church, he replied: 'No comment.'
Housed in a renovated former cinema near Commonwealth, the church has a congregation of about 4,000.
It takes a strong stand against homosexuality and states so on its website.
'Homosexual practice is contrary to God's Word. So we stand against that and the active and aggressive promotion of such behaviour,' it states.
It believes homosexuals can change, and has a programme to counsel and help those who want to give up 'homosexual thoughts, tendencies and practices'.
TAN DAWN WEI
Additional reporting by Jamie Ee
At this stage, there are couple interesting points.
Looks like the old guards have not been forthright either. Despite nominating the majority in the ex-co, this fact was ommitted. The fact that the membership has dwindled to 250 plus is a concern. Now they are doing the same thing that the new group is doing, stacking the membership.
It looks like it going to be tit for tat with no strategy and tactics in sight.
It obviously pro-family and why they took over AWARE may have something to do with AWARE network outside Singapore rather than singapore.
Looks like the old guards have not been forthright either. Despite nominating the majority in the ex-co, this fact was ommitted. The fact that the membership has dwindled to 250 plus is a concern. Now they are doing the same thing that the new group is doing, stacking the membership.
It looks like it going to be tit for tat with no strategy and tactics in sight.
It obviously pro-family and why they took over AWARE may have something to do with AWARE network outside Singapore rather than singapore.
THE STRAITS TIMES
April 18, 2009
NEW GUARD'S RESPONSE
We're ready for the task, but why are some so angry with us?
New president Josie Lau issued this letter to the media yesterday
I REFER to the report, 'Unknowns knock out veterans at Aware polls' (The Straits Times, April 10) and various letters and media articles that followed.
We are delighted in the renewed interest in the reinvigorated Aware and its democratically elected Executive Committee.
There are a few important factors that warrant making, which will lend clarity to the nature of the electoral process which sparked such intense attention.
First, outgoing president Constance Singam nominated Claire Nazar as successor. Nazar nominated six out of 11 new exco members with the Old Guard's support.
Ten of 12 positions were openly contested. Old Guard Chew I-Jin's position was not contested. The entire meeting lasted 3-1/2 hours as some 20 candidates gave electoral speeches and fielded questions from the floor.
As Mrs Singam noted at the AGM's beginning, Aware's recruitment drive had succeeded through its marketing efforts. From a high of 675 in 1998, ordinary membership plummeted to 253 in 2008. At last count, there are about 400 members, and membership continues to grow at an impressive rate.
The new exco members were eager to start work. However, there were repeated delays in convening the first exco meeting. Mrs Nazar kept re-scheduling the meeting.
The first meeting was held on April 7. On April 8, Mrs Nazar abruptly and unilaterally resigned by e-mail. This left us president-less. The Aware constitution requires seven days' notice to call exco meetings. We acted swiftly and called the second exco meeting on April 15. Josie Lau was named new president unopposed. A press release was immediately issued.
As president, I am disappointed that before the second exco meeting on April 15, a requisition for an EOGM for the apparent purpose of replacing the elected exco was handed to Aware on April 14. This contained 160 signatures. No more than five signatories were present at the March 28 AGM attended by 99 ordinary members and three associate members. Some 120 of the 160 signatories appear to have been recruited just after the AGM in time to swell support for the requisition.
In the face of intense media and cyber scrutiny, I must ask this question: Why have some people cast aspersions on our good intentions? Why are they so angry with us? We've only just begun.
We seek to improve the quality of life of women in Singapore. We are pro-women, pro-family and pro-Singapore. What is so objectionable about that? Does the old guard harbour an alternative agenda? If so, they should disclose their motives and objectives fully and honestly.
Aware is a secular organisation. Its members come from different races, walks of life and hold different belief systems. Our commitment to advancing the cause of women unites us. As a democratic society, we cherish viewpoint diversity.
I have full confidence in my new exco team. We know many challenges lie ahead but this team is ready for the task.
Josie Lau
President, Aware
April 18, 2009
NEW GUARD'S RESPONSE
We're ready for the task, but why are some so angry with us?
New president Josie Lau issued this letter to the media yesterday
I REFER to the report, 'Unknowns knock out veterans at Aware polls' (The Straits Times, April 10) and various letters and media articles that followed.
We are delighted in the renewed interest in the reinvigorated Aware and its democratically elected Executive Committee.
There are a few important factors that warrant making, which will lend clarity to the nature of the electoral process which sparked such intense attention.
First, outgoing president Constance Singam nominated Claire Nazar as successor. Nazar nominated six out of 11 new exco members with the Old Guard's support.
Ten of 12 positions were openly contested. Old Guard Chew I-Jin's position was not contested. The entire meeting lasted 3-1/2 hours as some 20 candidates gave electoral speeches and fielded questions from the floor.
As Mrs Singam noted at the AGM's beginning, Aware's recruitment drive had succeeded through its marketing efforts. From a high of 675 in 1998, ordinary membership plummeted to 253 in 2008. At last count, there are about 400 members, and membership continues to grow at an impressive rate.
The new exco members were eager to start work. However, there were repeated delays in convening the first exco meeting. Mrs Nazar kept re-scheduling the meeting.
The first meeting was held on April 7. On April 8, Mrs Nazar abruptly and unilaterally resigned by e-mail. This left us president-less. The Aware constitution requires seven days' notice to call exco meetings. We acted swiftly and called the second exco meeting on April 15. Josie Lau was named new president unopposed. A press release was immediately issued.
As president, I am disappointed that before the second exco meeting on April 15, a requisition for an EOGM for the apparent purpose of replacing the elected exco was handed to Aware on April 14. This contained 160 signatures. No more than five signatories were present at the March 28 AGM attended by 99 ordinary members and three associate members. Some 120 of the 160 signatories appear to have been recruited just after the AGM in time to swell support for the requisition.
In the face of intense media and cyber scrutiny, I must ask this question: Why have some people cast aspersions on our good intentions? Why are they so angry with us? We've only just begun.
We seek to improve the quality of life of women in Singapore. We are pro-women, pro-family and pro-Singapore. What is so objectionable about that? Does the old guard harbour an alternative agenda? If so, they should disclose their motives and objectives fully and honestly.
Aware is a secular organisation. Its members come from different races, walks of life and hold different belief systems. Our commitment to advancing the cause of women unites us. As a democratic society, we cherish viewpoint diversity.
I have full confidence in my new exco team. We know many challenges lie ahead but this team is ready for the task.
Josie Lau
President, Aware
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