<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=452 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Published April 18, 2009
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Aware chief speaks out at move to derail new exco
Josie Lau says her team is pro-women, pro-family and pro-Singapore
By JAMIE LEE
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</TD><TD>Feedback</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>THE new president of women's advocacy group Aware says that new members have been recruited to 'swell support' to replace the new executive committee. But Josie Lau remained mum about her employer's disapproval of her taking up the Aware president post.
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</TD></TR><TR class=caption><TD>MS LAU
'Does the old guard harbour an alternative agenda? If so, they should disclose their motives and objectives fully and honestly.'</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>In a statement yesterday, Ms Lau said that a requisition for an extraordinary general meeting contains signatures from recruits who joined after an annual general meeting (AGM) at which Aware veterans were voted out in an apparent coup.
'Some 120 of the 160 signatories appear to have been recruited just after the AGM in time to swell support for the requisition,' which was handed to Aware on April 14, she said, adding that she was disappointed by this.
This adds an ironic twist to the dramatic change of guard at the well-known women's advocacy group. Newbies appeared to have clinched the leadership of the group at its AGM on March 28, thanks to the support of members who joined a few months earlier.
The old guard, who argue that the intent of the new team is unclear, want another meeting to hold a no-confidence vote on the current committee.
'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,' Ms Lau said.
Without referring directly to mounting questions over the new leadership's view on equality issues - including homosexuality - Ms Lau said that the team is '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,' she said, adding that Aware is a secular organisation and cherishes 'viewpoint diversity'.
Ms Lau, who is vice-president for consumer banking group, cards and unsecured loans at DBS Bank, made no mention of the bank or the fact that she breached its staff code of conduct twice by not getting permission before taking on exco and the president posts at Aware.
The bank revealed on Thursday that she had breached its code of conduct and said that 'such an attitude is not one that DBS, or any other organisation, can condone in a leader'.
Ms Lau had apparently brushed aside DBS's disapproval of her taking on the Aware role, which the bank deemed to be time-consuming.
A DBS spokesman told BT that future discussions with Ms Lau would be private, adding that its two earlier public statements were made because of the publicity surrounding her appointment as Aware president. Ms Lau declined further comment when contacted.
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U need to state categorically if u're Pro-PAPee hor! *hee*hee*
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Aware chief speaks out at move to derail new exco
Josie Lau says her team is pro-women, pro-family and pro-Singapore
By JAMIE LEE
<TABLE class=storyLinks cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=1 width=136 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR class=font10><TD align=right width=20>
</TD><TD>Email this article</TD></TR><TR class=font10><TD align=right width=20>
</TD><TD>Print article </TD></TR><TR class=font10><TD align=right width=20>
</TD><TD>Feedback</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>THE new president of women's advocacy group Aware says that new members have been recruited to 'swell support' to replace the new executive committee. But Josie Lau remained mum about her employer's disapproval of her taking up the Aware president post.<TABLE class=picBoxL cellSpacing=2 width=100 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR class=caption><TD>MS LAU'Does the old guard harbour an alternative agenda? If so, they should disclose their motives and objectives fully and honestly.'</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>In a statement yesterday, Ms Lau said that a requisition for an extraordinary general meeting contains signatures from recruits who joined after an annual general meeting (AGM) at which Aware veterans were voted out in an apparent coup.
'Some 120 of the 160 signatories appear to have been recruited just after the AGM in time to swell support for the requisition,' which was handed to Aware on April 14, she said, adding that she was disappointed by this.
This adds an ironic twist to the dramatic change of guard at the well-known women's advocacy group. Newbies appeared to have clinched the leadership of the group at its AGM on March 28, thanks to the support of members who joined a few months earlier.
The old guard, who argue that the intent of the new team is unclear, want another meeting to hold a no-confidence vote on the current committee.
'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,' Ms Lau said.
Without referring directly to mounting questions over the new leadership's view on equality issues - including homosexuality - Ms Lau said that the team is '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,' she said, adding that Aware is a secular organisation and cherishes 'viewpoint diversity'.
Ms Lau, who is vice-president for consumer banking group, cards and unsecured loans at DBS Bank, made no mention of the bank or the fact that she breached its staff code of conduct twice by not getting permission before taking on exco and the president posts at Aware.
The bank revealed on Thursday that she had breached its code of conduct and said that 'such an attitude is not one that DBS, or any other organisation, can condone in a leader'.
Ms Lau had apparently brushed aside DBS's disapproval of her taking on the Aware role, which the bank deemed to be time-consuming.
A DBS spokesman told BT that future discussions with Ms Lau would be private, adding that its two earlier public statements were made because of the publicity surrounding her appointment as Aware president. Ms Lau declined further comment when contacted.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
U need to state categorically if u're Pro-PAPee hor! *hee*hee*
