LIVE from Suntec: AWARE EGM, 2 May 2009

LIVE from Suntec, AWARE EGM

6.51pm: “We do not have a draft report to give to you because the volunteers are still conducting their research. Braema Mathi is willing to give you a verbal update, but you refuse.”

6.50pm: Braema: “I replied two days later apologizing for the delay and explaining for the delay and asked for a meeting to discuss the CEDAW report.”

6.47pm: “The reason why Braema Mathi is removed because she had not sent us the report in spite of the numerous reminders.”

6.43pm: “As a NGO, money is a big thing! We have to build networks to reach out to everybody. This corporate culture clashes with Aware as a NGO which alot is about consensus, inclusiveness and working for nothing.”

6.41pm: “I feel very sad to come to a woman’s organization where its President asked us to ’shut up and sit down’. Today is the time to speak out, not shut up and sit down, never!” (applause broke out)

6.40pm: Dr Alan Chin: “I am from COOS and I am not ashamed to admit that. I would like to clarify that COOS did not ask its members to come here to promote Christianity. Please be rational, although $90,000 is spent, but we have recouped it by the new membership fees of $120,000.”

6.34pm: “I am a trainer in the CSE. The three words - anal sex, homosexuality and lesbianism are only mentioned in one and a half minute out of 3 hours of the programme of which half is spent on promoting abstinence - how to refuse sex. The material is meant to be private and confidential and for the person to put it online is downright irresponsible.”

6.32pm: “I am a Christian and I have sex in secondary school. I am for a system which enabled people to make informed choices and not to make judgement on others. We need to give that choice.”

6.30pm: Josie quoted some study from Utah that abstinence is important to help reduce sexual activity amongst adolescents much to the chagrin of the audience.

6.26pm: “I would like to clarify about the CSE, if you not aware, 15 years of research showed that CSE is inclusive and appropriate in its teaching of use of condoms and to discuss a wide range of sexual techniques and study have shown that such a programme will delay onset of sexual activity and promote safer sexual activity and behavior leading to decrease in HIV infection rates at later life, so I don’t understand why you are discrediting this programme. As a parent myself, I would like my child to go through this programme. Just discussing a wide range of sexual behavior does not make one a homosexual. Your child won’t come back and say ‘Hey, I want to marry a person of same sex!”

6.25pm: “You have destroyed Aware, an organization with 25 years of proud history. Go and start another organization of your own!”

6.22pm: “The new exco has used such a large sum of money without approval from its members. Can we report it to the Commissioner of Charities?” [legal counsel refused to answer, claimed it is outside his purview]

6.20pm: Constance Singam appealed to the audience to accept the result of the ballot, whichever it turns out, in good spirit.

6.16pm: “I am a legal advisor of the old guard. I would offer legal advice to Aware pro bono. If you have asked for help from the old guards, you would have to be able to obtain free legal advice. Did you ask?

6.15pm: Legal counsel: “Under Article 18 of the Constitution, it is stipulated that the exco is not authoritzed to spend more than $20,000 for purposes of the society without approval of its members via a secret ballot.

6.12pm: “I would like to ask the legal counsel for opinion about the new exco spending $70,000 more that the legal limits set by Aware’s constitution (applause broke out).

6.06pm: “I am an academic in Singapore and I would like to clarify something about feminism. You can cannot speak out for a marginalized group like women without speaking up for all marginalized groups regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation. I have traveled all over the world and everybody I spoke to has high regards for Aware. Today, Aware has an international profile which is respected by human rights activists, please don’t undermine the international credibility of aware by your thoughtless actions.

6.05pm: Results will be out in 10 minutes.

6.02pm: “This is ABSOLUTELY HORRIFYING. You have spent $70,000 above the accepted limit!!!”

6.00pm: Josie Lau: “The estimate cost of the legal counsel is NINTY THOUSAND or $90,000!!!” (no joke, you are not hearing wrongly.

5.55pm: ”I understand that a legal counsel cost ten of thousands. Please give me an estimate on how much Aware has spent on the legal counsel even if you cannot give me an accurate figure.

5.51pm: “It is very bizzare to say that just because we propose allowing associate male members to vote, we are promoting homosexuality. This shows you are not ready to lead the organization at all.”

5.50pm: Josie said she will send lesbians who are discriminated for counselling. Somebody from the crowd shouted: “but we don’t trust you!!”

5.45pm: “I am gay and I am concerned about the new exco saying homosexuality is not okay. I feel terribly insulted. Please do not impose your values on everybody. Sorry, this is not personal.”

5.40pm: I am Chiang, an event organizer. I am surprised you spent so much money on the event. Renting a place at $18,000 and paying for an event organizer should not have happened. You should be asking around for people to help, to ask for somebody to offer a free stage, if you have called me, I would have organized it for free. I am SHOCKED, I don’t know where my $40 is going. If, IF you survive this no-confidence vote, please put a lawyer on the exco and you won’t need a legal counsel, every single cent should go to the people you wanted to help!!

5.36pm: What is your stance on the male chapter of men? I am very worried about that.

5.31pm: Josie explained that the costs are being compounded and urged the audience to be patient. She pleaded for understanding that the new exco has very little time to handle the matter.

5.30pm: I Jin, the assistant treasurer claimed she has not been consulted on all maters proper by the new exco.

5.26pm: Josie explained that she has to outsource the event organizing to the Boardroom due to the short notice the EGM was called.

5.25pm: “To Josie, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, I emailed you asking to meet so that we can work out the organization of the EGM together, but you are reluctant to do so.”

5.22pm: “The point is not whether you have spent over the $20,000. The point is you need to seek the members’ approval. You are NOT ABOVE THE LAW, you cannot change the Constitution to serve your own personal purpose.

5.21pm: Josie: “tell me how you will handle this situation.”

5.20pm: “I am a practising lawyer and you have breached ?ultra vibes the constitution by spending over the limit! The maximum amount you are allowed to spend is $20,000 and anything above, we the members reserve the legal right to…”

5.17pm: Questioner pressed on why new exco spent more than $20,000. Maureen explained that she had no choice as the membership has exceeded 3,000 this week and she has to get Hall 403 as well which cost $5,000. (crowd booed).

5.16pm:Maureen revealed that the Suntec venue cost $18,000, so the new exco has most likely over-spent the $20,000 limit.

5.15pm: Maureen Goh explained that Singapore EXPO venue was cancelled because police is concerned about law and order issues.

5.10pm: Josie Lau refused to answer the question directly, asked lady to sit down as she has asked more than 1 question, lady refused to go away, Josie asked security to “escort” her off.

5.07pm: Question asked about Aware’s spending. Under Aware’s constitution, Aware only allowed to spend no more than $20,000 a month.

5.05pm: Question raised about why new exco asked Constance Singam to leave the meeting. Josie replied that she was asked to leave because “sensitive issues” are being discussed.

5.01pm: Josie explained that Shultz Lee was sacked for insubordination and that the interim manager was recruited from COOS because she was immediately available.

4.55pm: Josie claimed she was given no opportunity to explain herself to members and was “played out” by the media.

4.51pm: Josie explained that she did not know Sally, Jenica or Maureen before the Aware AGM. She reiterated that she was invited by Claire Nazar to join Aware to help out in the marketing.

4.50pm: The crowd is fielding questions at the new exco who kept pleading to give them a right of reply.

4.45pm: New exco referred to legal counsel again if constitutional amendments should proceed.

4.40pm: Legal counsel asked for show of hand who oppose continuing the debate on the constitutional amendments. The majority of the crowd raise up their hands.

4.35pm: New members protest against the constitutional amendments as many have not read it here. One proposed it to be postponed to the next AGM.

4.32pm: Thio Su Mien? called the crowd hooligans. “You should be ashamed of yourself!”

4.31pm: Josie Lau wants to go through the constitutional amendments, somebody from the crowd asked her to step down till the vote count is completed as she may not be the President anymore.

4.15pm: Voting now in process.

4.11pm: Siew Kum Hong speaking. I ask the legal counsel what the legal option should be to monitor the voting process.

4.10pm: The voting begins. Ballot boxes are being passed around.

4.07pm: Thio Su Mien forced to stop her speech. Crowd kept chanting - “We are Aware! We are Aware! We are Aware!!”

4.01pm: Thio Su Mien going to speak, crowd BOOED!!! “I believe I am a feminist mentor because…, please show some civility” (crowd kept interrupting). “Listen to me, I was….you have NO RESPECT FOR THE ELDERS” (BOOOOOOOOOO!!!!) “I was the first female law dean..”

4.00pm: Thio Su Mien asked audience to show respect for elders!

3.55pm: I join AWARE only 3 weeks ago and I support a vote of vote against the new exco. For those of you sitting out there supporting the new exco, they are all of the same race, the same faith and worship in the same place.

3.46pm: Constance Singam speaking. You have to trust and honor the achievements of the old guards over the last few years. Where were you when women are abused and battered in their homes? Where were you when women are denied equal medical benefits? Where were you??? Crowd chanted “Where were you??”

3.45pm: I am Irene Ng, a Christian and I do not support the new exco.

3.45pm: I am a new member and I would like to highlight to you that you have not heard from the new members because the mikes are off. If you know the Singapore pledge…to build a democratic society built on justic and equality..where is the equality when you deliberately left out exco members from the old guards from your meeting, one more point, congratulations on the increase in your membership, but it is not because of you guys, but because of the old guards of aware who built it up all these years. I would remain as a member if the old guards returned (crowd went into frenzy).

3.41pm: Josie Lau invited legal counsel yet again to explain about the sacking of the subcommittees.

3.40pm: Braema Mathi speaking. I struggle over what is your (Josie) character….,but today is even more disappointing. We have written to the members of the exco, can we have a civil discussion on how to run this meeting and today we are being treated like children (crowd stand up and wave!!!) On that alone, 1 100% convinced that you are not the right representative for this association.

3.35pm: Dana Lam speaking. She said Josie’s actions and words during the last 2 weeks have shown she is not a suitable leader for Aware, crowd burst into applause. Dana castigates Josie for dismissing long-serving staff and volunteers of AWARE and paid for sophisticated CCTV for the center for a woman center which is meant to be a safe place for women. This act of yours alone shows that you are in the wrong seat for our association (crowd erupted into applause). I propose now…I support the vote of non-confidence.

3.30pm: Voting going to commence soon, instructions being given to members.

3.25pm: Haji Mohamad, a practising lawyer stands up to rebut legal counsel’s opinion that no-confidence motion has no legal binding under the Aware constitution.

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