3 hectic weeks

3 hectic weeks

April 19, 2009

MARCH 28

Aware’s annual general meeting draws an unexpectedly large number of people. Many are new members who joined in recent months. The old guard is shocked when the newcomers defeat more seasoned members to take nine out of 12 positions on the executive committee. The new president is Mrs Claire Nazar, elected unopposed after being nominated by outgoing president Constance Singam. Mrs Nazar nominated six newcomers who became exco members.

APRIL 8

Mrs Nazar resigns as president. No reasons are given. She confirms her exit but refuses to answer further queries from the media.

APRIL 14

The Aware old guard leads 160 members in calling for an extraordinary general meeting, possibly to table a vote of no confidence in the new exco. Longtime members say there are too many unanswered questions about the new women in charge, how they got together to seize power and what they intend to do with Aware.

APRIL 15

# The exco meets to pick a new president. Immediate past president Constance Singam attends but is asked to leave at the start. She is invited back later but walks out shortly. Exco member Caris Lim leaves three hours into the meeting, telling reporters she is disillusioned and disturbed by the proceedings. Ms Josie Lau is made president and makes brief comments to reporters but refuses to answer questions. Her employer, DBS Bank, immediately issues a statement saying it does not support her taking up the presidency and had told her so.

# The new Aware issues a statement announcing its new president and pledging to carry on the good work of the association and its founders.

APRIL 16

# Two-time Aware president and former Nominated Member of Parliament Braema Mathi is told by e-mail that she is no longer in charge of producing a key report on discrimination against women in Singapore.

# DBS Bank issues a second statement revealing that Ms Lau breached its staff code of conduct twice by not informing her bosses that she intended to stand for elections to the Aware exco, and defying advice not to take up the presidency. The sharply worded statement says DBS does not condone such conduct in a leader and will do an internal review.

APRIL 17

Aware president Josie Lau issues a statement emphasising that her exco members were all elected properly according to the association’s rules. She says she does not understand why her team has come in for criticism when they are ‘pro women, pro-family and pro-Singapore’. She questions the motives of the old guard in calling for an EOGM and asks if they harbour another agenda. Ms Lau cannot be reached to answer questions arising from the statement. Other Aware officials say Ms Lau is the only one who can speak about this.

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