| By Elizabeth Soh and Teo Wan Gek | ||
 |  | Aware President Josie Lau from the new commitee (left) and Aware Ex-president Constance Singham from the old committee. -- ST PHOTOS: LIM WUI LIANG, MUGILAN RAJASEGERAN |
At the Suntec City Convention Centre, the two separate camps were clearly distinct.
The new guard volunteers were wearing red shirts with the words 'Pro woman, pro family, pro Singapore' emblazoned on the back of their shirts, while the old guard volunteers wore white shirts with the words 'We are Aware' and handed out packages with badges and pamphlet explaining the vote of no confidence against the new committee.
Several old guard members who turned up at 9am were told by event organisers to leave the voting area as it was 'neutral ground'. The women in red shirts, however, appeared to have free access to the venue.
At 10.45am, Ms Schutz Lee, 42, Aware's ex-centre manager, arrived and tried to enter the area but was pushed back by the 'red shirt' volunteers and told to leave. They said the instructions came from the organisers. A man from the events management company, told the old guard members to clear or else he would call security.
When Aware's ex-President Mrs Constance Singam arrived, along with former Assistant Honorary Treasury Chew I-Jin, the old guard supporters hugged and greeted her warmly.
At around 11am Nominated MP Siew Kum Hong and his wife showed up. Mr Siew has been an associate member of Aware since last October. He said he 'supports the old guard'. When he tried to enter the fourth floor where the EOGM was to be held, Mr Siew was barred from entering by 'red shirt' volunteers.
Ms Yap Ching Wi, from the old guard camp, told reporters that the event organisers were pushing back the registration time to 12.30, instead of 12 noon, and were trying to disperse the old guard volunteers gathered outside.
Registration eventually started at 12.15pm, and as of 12.50pm, the queue had already snaked from the fourth floor to the third floor of the convention centre. The male members, who are accredited as associate members, sat separately from the women members as they are not allowed to vote.
Mrs Hedwig Anuar , a former Aware President, told The Straits Times that 'Aware is supposed to be secular, but it looks like religion has crept in.' But she said that 'overall the crowd is fantastic'.
Police officers have been deployed outside the meeting venue.
http://forums.delphiforums.com/sunkopitiam/messages?msg=28274.5
No comments:
Post a Comment