LIVE from Suntec: AWARE EGM, 2 May 2009

LIVE from Suntec: AWARE EGM, 2 May 2009

May 2, 2009 by Field Reporter

From The Field Report Team

Our team of freelance reporters will be bringing you the EGM LIVE from Suntec City.

This page will be updated along the way to bring you the latest developments.

[Note to team: please do not duplicate reports, instructions as per given in email last night, please check your mailbox, those on holding list, please confirm if you are available asap]

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.

4.30pm: Voting has been completed. Votes are being tabulated now.

4.25pm: The red shirts are leaving droves after casting their votes, this is obviously a wayang.

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!!”

4.02pm: 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..”…ORDER, ORDER, please listen!!

4.01pm: Thio Su Mien going to speak, crowd BOOED!!! “I believe I am a feminist mentor because…”

4.00pm: I am a new member and previously unaware of aware and not I am aware of aware after today. You have shown no respect to others, this is not God’s follower. It is totally deceptive.

3.57pm: 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.

3.56pm: As a non-Christian, I am suspicious of your insidious motives to take over Aware and for the first time of my life, I am afraid of Christians.

3.55pm: Is it not true that you (Josie) have been not open and honest with us from the very beginning? I am worried that if you stay on in Aware, you may change the fundamental mission of Aware! You and your team are not qualified to lead this organization.

3.50pm: New exco request for the right of reply, crowd won’t allow.

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. Josie said she wanted to help women tide over this economic downturn, but the first thing she did as Aware president is to fire the center’s manager, a woman!

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.

3.21pm: Legal counsel speaking now to clarify certain matters.

3.20pm: ?Constance called for vote of no confidence in the exco, too far to see face clearly, crowd stood up and applauded, think about 60% of the crowd. Josie ignored demands and moved on to list the agenda.

3.15pm: Josie showing membership statistics, AGM in 2008 shows AWARE is losing membership of younger women, since the media publicity, there is a surge in membership to over 3,000 as of yesterday.

3.10pm: Josie talking about the controversial CSE, claimed she will be talking to MOE shorting about it.

3.04pm: Josie to crowd: “NO DISRUPTION, SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN!” crowd went beserk!!! “OUT! OUT! OUT!” Josie apologized for her “outburst”, more boos from the crowd.

3.01pm: Josie still continuing, the crowd is getting agitated and restless. Josie talked about her plans for AWARE and the history of AWARE over the years. Josie stopped by Constance?, “Sorry Josie, you are over your 3 minutes”, crowd cheering!!

3.00pm: Josie finally began her President’s address, essentially what she said in the media on how she came to become the President because Nazar resigned halfway and nobody wants to take up the position. She reminded audience that her exco is legally elected and is based on nomination and proper electoral process not on any religion. (somebody shouted from the crowd, can’t hear what). “I would like to state categorically that COOS is not INVOVLED” (boos from crowd)

2.59pm: Josie asked security to remove those who are jeering!!! What a ***!!!!

2.58pm: T3 sitting in middle of crowd, I think it’s 50 - 50 now.

2.57pm: Josie Lau’s speech kept getting interrupted by the crowd who demanded the mike to be turned on and questions allowed to the floor. Josie Lau asked legal counsel to ‘advise’ again

2.55pm: can’t hear clearly, security not allowed me to go nearer, any ladies in the first few row??

2.53pm: security ignore Josie, audience ignore Josie, continued CLAPPING !!!

2.51pm: Josie: “I am the President and I preside over the meeting!!! SIT DOWN!!! Security, please escort anybody disrupting the meeting OUT NOW!!!”

2.50pm: For a second time, Josie Lau called on the security to stop unruly behavior. Crowd now shouting “turn on the mike”!!! Maureen Ong - “Please escort anybody caught making noise OUT!!! Security PLEASE NOW immediately!!”

2.47pm: Legal counsel asked crowd to give Josie Lau opportunity to address the members.

2.45pm: Josie Lau clarifying - “I join AWARE because I am interested in women issues, education and gender equality. I was keen to join as EXCO member, unfortunately on April 8, Ms Nazar resigned…Crowd keep shouting, she stopped.

2.43pm: a new guard supporter speaks, somebody from the crowd ask her to SHUT UP!! OMG, when did Singaporean women become so politically active??

2.40pm: Josie cut short her President’s speech, (damned malu), legal counsel speaking now.

2.38pm: Now President’s Address: ‘never expect such a huge turnout, AGM in 2006 atended by only 30 members, today we have over 2,000 people. Thanks for registration to support AWARE. Crowd is shouting, interrupting Josie…ORDER PLEASE!! Let me get past with my president’s speech. Crowd won’t allow, keep interfering.

2.37pm: Josie Lau introduces herself, round of BOOOOO goes from the crowd!!!

2.36pm: Constance Singam fired the first question - why seats allocated for associate members, crowd erupted into a frenzy, CLAP……..!!! The atmosphere is ELECTRIFYING!!

2.35pm: The battle begins!! Many qauestions being fielded at the same time, macham cat-fight! Josie Lau getting irriated, crowd is SHOUTING!!! Josie Lau called security to step in…HUSH..

2.35pm: the new exco arrived, EGM started proper, no flash photography or video recording, voting via secret ballot, Rajah and Tan to present point ?3 over. Josie Lau as Chairwoman of the EGM shall preside over the entire meeting. Each individual is only allowed to ask one question, please observe meeting etiquette, do not use crude language.

2.30pm: Our server is getting loaded, may crash later, for those of you with twitter account, follow us at http://www.twitter.com/wayangparty.

2.25pm: You are tuning in to The Wayang Party, Singapore’s No 1 socio-political blog. The queue is getting longer. For those of you who wants to support the old guard, registration is still ON, go to level 4 outside exhibition hall 402 and ask for the counter.

2.20pm: video-recording not permited, DO NOT FILM secretly, we will not be responsible for any mishaps, change to Plan 3 as outlined.

2.15pm: damned, security confiscate my videocam, cannot take videos lah, shld check it out earlier, there goes my $200.

2.12pm: ladies, are you online, over, tell admin your locations now.

2.11pm: Latest announcment - meeting ‘delayed’ as there are still many people outside, roger over.

2.10pm: T4 in already, guys can skip the main queue, go straight to level 4 to register as associate members.

2.00pm: WHAT THE……..The BIGGEST congregation of Singapore women, beats even the big Singapore sale, truly AMAZING!! Since when did our ladies become so siao ON???

1.45pm: sector 2 still at level 3 queue, may miss 1st part, sector 1 in ard?

1.35pm: all sectors take note, no obligation to provide particulars when asked, just smile and keep quiet when probed.

1.30pm: somebody get hold of the bus-driver and company, documentary proof who pay for the buses, $50 for the invoice.

1.25pm: tape conversation to prove red shirts from COOS, $25 per mp3 clip.

1.20pm: anybody out there take a photo of the red shirts bus number, will pay $10 per photo.

1.1opm: the red shirts are arriving by busloads, was going to take a pic when stopped, wtf.Q!

12.55PM: the queue too long, now at level 3, don’t think they will be able to register all by 2pm.

12.45pm: I’m leaving, it will be a whitewash…..

12.25pm: the registration is too slow, too many people crowding.

12.20pm: admin: the server is very slow….please rectify it, cannot log in at all.

12.10pm: Somebody should come and see this man, how can the old guards win, impossible lah! better pack up and balek kampung.

12.05pm: No red-shirts want to be interviewed, under instruction not to talk to media.

12.00pm: WOW, what an atmosphere!! The entire place is swarmed with white and red shirts….seemed like got a bit more red shirts.

11.50pm: Readers are welcome to join us by posting comments here about the event.

11.40pm: Registration commences earlier, more than 500 people now…the sever is very slow, please do something about it.

11.30am: hey boss, the network is not good here, can’t log in after a few tries, will have to conserve battery.

11.15am: AWARE members who are attending the EGM and wishes to contribute to this field report, please email us at wayangparty@hotmail.com for your account name and password. For new members who have not been in touch with us before, you will need to furnish us with proof of your membership. Roger over.11am: Nothing unusual about Suntec today, the crowd is slightly lesser than normal though, will go for a quick bite first.

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