<TABLE id=msgUN cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD id=msgUNsubj vAlign=top>Coffeeshop Chit Chat - SRC feud over vulgar SMSes </TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>
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</NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate noWrap align=right width="30%">Mar-27 9:57 pm </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT noWrap align=right width="1%" height=20>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname noWrap width="68%">ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 8) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%" rowSpan=4> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>10354.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>SRC feud over vulgar SMSes goes to police
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : end --></TD></TR><TR><TD>Both sides claim to be victims of racist, abusive messages </TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- Author --></TD></TR><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Terrence Voon
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- show image if available --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->A LONG-SIMMERING feud at the Singapore Recreation Club (SRC) has boiled over, with police being called in to investigate a series of abusive and racist text messages being fired back and forth between two warring factions.
On one side of the stand-off is a small group of members, numbering about six.
At the other: The club's management.
The members have claimed that text messages containing vulgarities and racist remarks were sent to them.
The messages also contained threats, they said.
One of the members, Mr Derrick D'Souza, 62, said that when he called the number from which the messages were sent, one of the club's management staff answered the phone.
Said the retiree, an SRC member of 15 years: 'We know who it was, so we sent a letter of complaint to the club management. But instead of looking into the matter, I was surprised to get a legal letter.'
That letter, written on behalf of club president Johnny Goh, warned members not to circulate the SMSes and transcripts, which were 'highly scandalous, offensive and defamatory'.
Mr D'Souza filed a police report last Tuesday.
Management staff at the SRC have countered that they have also received abusive text messages. SRC's general manager and honorary secretary Abdul Rashid said:
'We have also been receiving nasty text messages, but have been unable to trace the sender.
'We have sought legal advice, but there is no way to prove who sent the messages,' he said. And so, a police report was made.
Police have confirmed that investigations are on, based on Mr D'Souza's report.
The latest turn of events has its roots in a feud that began almost four years ago.
Insiders say the catalyst for the long-running battle came at the 2005 annual general meeting, when some members, led by Mr D'Souza, questioned the SRC's move to invest $23 million in two single-premium life insurance policies.
They griped that the management had not consulted members before investing the money.
But their protests were dismissed, with the club - one of Singapore's oldest - arguing that its Constitution did not state that members must be consulted on investment decisions.
Since then, several other squabbles have broken out.
For instance, both sides were at each other's throats last year during the lead up to the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix.
Then, the management had tabled a resolution to build guest rooms on the third storey of the clubhouse in order to cash in on the expected demand for trackside accommodation during the race.
The six group members strongly opposed the move on the grounds that the rooms would compromise the character of the premises on the Padang and cause security problems.
But most other members backed the move, and it was eventually given the green light.
One dissenting member, Mr R. V. Nathan, 59, has also been sued for defamation by Mr Abdul Rashid, the SRC's general manager.
The former has been accused of sending notes containing statements which defame Mr Abdul to the Prime Minister's Office and the police.
Contacted about the infighting, Mr Abdul Rashid insisted they were 'isolated incidents'. He added: 'The majority of the club's members are sensible and supportive of the current management.'
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</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : end --></TD></TR><TR><TD>Both sides claim to be victims of racist, abusive messages </TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- Author --></TD></TR><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Terrence Voon
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- show image if available --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->A LONG-SIMMERING feud at the Singapore Recreation Club (SRC) has boiled over, with police being called in to investigate a series of abusive and racist text messages being fired back and forth between two warring factions.
On one side of the stand-off is a small group of members, numbering about six.
At the other: The club's management.
The members have claimed that text messages containing vulgarities and racist remarks were sent to them.
The messages also contained threats, they said.
One of the members, Mr Derrick D'Souza, 62, said that when he called the number from which the messages were sent, one of the club's management staff answered the phone.
Said the retiree, an SRC member of 15 years: 'We know who it was, so we sent a letter of complaint to the club management. But instead of looking into the matter, I was surprised to get a legal letter.'
That letter, written on behalf of club president Johnny Goh, warned members not to circulate the SMSes and transcripts, which were 'highly scandalous, offensive and defamatory'.
Mr D'Souza filed a police report last Tuesday.
Management staff at the SRC have countered that they have also received abusive text messages. SRC's general manager and honorary secretary Abdul Rashid said:
'We have also been receiving nasty text messages, but have been unable to trace the sender.
'We have sought legal advice, but there is no way to prove who sent the messages,' he said. And so, a police report was made.
Police have confirmed that investigations are on, based on Mr D'Souza's report.
The latest turn of events has its roots in a feud that began almost four years ago.
Insiders say the catalyst for the long-running battle came at the 2005 annual general meeting, when some members, led by Mr D'Souza, questioned the SRC's move to invest $23 million in two single-premium life insurance policies.
They griped that the management had not consulted members before investing the money.
But their protests were dismissed, with the club - one of Singapore's oldest - arguing that its Constitution did not state that members must be consulted on investment decisions.
Since then, several other squabbles have broken out.
For instance, both sides were at each other's throats last year during the lead up to the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix.
Then, the management had tabled a resolution to build guest rooms on the third storey of the clubhouse in order to cash in on the expected demand for trackside accommodation during the race.
The six group members strongly opposed the move on the grounds that the rooms would compromise the character of the premises on the Padang and cause security problems.
But most other members backed the move, and it was eventually given the green light.
One dissenting member, Mr R. V. Nathan, 59, has also been sued for defamation by Mr Abdul Rashid, the SRC's general manager.
The former has been accused of sending notes containing statements which defame Mr Abdul to the Prime Minister's Office and the police.
Contacted about the infighting, Mr Abdul Rashid insisted they were 'isolated incidents'. He added: 'The majority of the club's members are sensible and supportive of the current management.'
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