<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Ousted Aware leaders launch counter-attack
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>160 veterans to table no-confidence vote at extraordinary meeting </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Wong Kim Hoh, Senior Writer
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->THE old guard at the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) has launched a counter-attack after several unknowns seized the leadership at its recent elections.
A group of 160 veterans are calling for an extraordinary general meeting (EOGM) where they intend to table a vote of no confidence in the new executive council.
In a statement yesterday, they expressed concern over the unusual nature of the March 28 annual general meeting 'when a large number of new members turned up and appeared to vote for several office bearers, all of whom are also new members'.
Older members present were shocked when the newcomers contested and won almost all positions, beating more seasoned members by wide majorities.
Those calling for an EOGM also found it disturbing that Mrs Claire Nazar, who was elected president without a contest, resigned within days.
The new exco members have yet to make known publicly who they are, how they are connected, what prompted them to take over in the manner that they did, or their plans for Singapore's leading women's group.
Repeated attempts to reach exco members for comments have drawn a blank since last week.
Ms Corinna Lim, 44, a spokesman for the old guard group, told The Straits Times: 'It is necessary to have an EOGM because we need an open discussion of what their agenda is.
'We've had a lot of calls from concerned members but we have had no communication from the new exco.'
Ms Lim, a corporate counsel, said that under the Aware constitution, an EOGM must be called if 10 per cent of the membership ask for one in writing. Given the rules, it could be held within a month.
The 160 signatures make up about 30 per cent of the membership of more than 500.
Former Aware president and Nominated Member of Parliament Braema Mathi, who is in the group calling for an EOGM, said members need to know more from the new exco.
'This is not a case of forcing their hand,' she said. 'Members want to ask questions and the best way to do it is to have an open forum.
'We need to know where we are heading, and they have not been forthcoming with that so far.'
Older members are also unhappy about online speculation about the reasons why a group who joined Aware only recently staged a leadership grab.
Ms Lim said: 'It is very bad if this continues. People will come up with their own ideas and it will be damaging for the integrity of the organisation.'
The Straits Times reached new exco members Irene Yee and Catherine Tan yesterday, but both said they did not know about the move to call for an EOGM. They declined to take questions, saying a press release would be issued 'in the next few days' - which was what other new exco members said last week.
One of those calling for the EOGM is writer Ovidia Yu, who said of the new team: 'I would like them to say what their goals are. Will Aware's ongoing projects be continued?'
She joined Aware seven years ago, and is unhappy that the new members who contested the elections were not more upfront earlier about who they were and what their plans were.
'Why didn't they come and make themselves known to us first?' she asked. 'Did they form a group first and join Aware after that? Or did they join one by one and then vote for each other? We want to know.' [email protected]
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>160 veterans to table no-confidence vote at extraordinary meeting </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Wong Kim Hoh, Senior Writer
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->THE old guard at the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) has launched a counter-attack after several unknowns seized the leadership at its recent elections.
A group of 160 veterans are calling for an extraordinary general meeting (EOGM) where they intend to table a vote of no confidence in the new executive council.
In a statement yesterday, they expressed concern over the unusual nature of the March 28 annual general meeting 'when a large number of new members turned up and appeared to vote for several office bearers, all of whom are also new members'.
Older members present were shocked when the newcomers contested and won almost all positions, beating more seasoned members by wide majorities.
Those calling for an EOGM also found it disturbing that Mrs Claire Nazar, who was elected president without a contest, resigned within days.
The new exco members have yet to make known publicly who they are, how they are connected, what prompted them to take over in the manner that they did, or their plans for Singapore's leading women's group.
Repeated attempts to reach exco members for comments have drawn a blank since last week.
Ms Corinna Lim, 44, a spokesman for the old guard group, told The Straits Times: 'It is necessary to have an EOGM because we need an open discussion of what their agenda is.
'We've had a lot of calls from concerned members but we have had no communication from the new exco.'
Ms Lim, a corporate counsel, said that under the Aware constitution, an EOGM must be called if 10 per cent of the membership ask for one in writing. Given the rules, it could be held within a month.
The 160 signatures make up about 30 per cent of the membership of more than 500.
Former Aware president and Nominated Member of Parliament Braema Mathi, who is in the group calling for an EOGM, said members need to know more from the new exco.
'This is not a case of forcing their hand,' she said. 'Members want to ask questions and the best way to do it is to have an open forum.
'We need to know where we are heading, and they have not been forthcoming with that so far.'
Older members are also unhappy about online speculation about the reasons why a group who joined Aware only recently staged a leadership grab.
Ms Lim said: 'It is very bad if this continues. People will come up with their own ideas and it will be damaging for the integrity of the organisation.'
The Straits Times reached new exco members Irene Yee and Catherine Tan yesterday, but both said they did not know about the move to call for an EOGM. They declined to take questions, saying a press release would be issued 'in the next few days' - which was what other new exco members said last week.
One of those calling for the EOGM is writer Ovidia Yu, who said of the new team: 'I would like them to say what their goals are. Will Aware's ongoing projects be continued?'
She joined Aware seven years ago, and is unhappy that the new members who contested the elections were not more upfront earlier about who they were and what their plans were.
'Why didn't they come and make themselves known to us first?' she asked. 'Did they form a group first and join Aware after that? Or did they join one by one and then vote for each other? We want to know.' [email protected]
