Tide of public opinion turns against AWARE new exco

Tide of public opinion turns against AWARE new exco

When the AWARE fiasco first erupted, this site adopted a neutral stance initially on the matter. I was of the view that in spite of the controversies enshrouding the elections, the new committee was quoted in fairly and legitimately by a majority vote and therefore should be given the opportunity to prove themselves.

Public opinion was equally split between the two camps with some imploring the old guards to accept defeat with grace and allowed the organization to move on with their advocacy work for women.

The new exco denied vehemently that they have planned beforehand to take over AWARE. Even after it was revealed that 6 of the new members were from the same church - Church of Our Saviour (COOS), they denied knowing one another at all.

Unfortunately, the new exco squandered the goodwill of the public by a series of missteps. Their high-handed approach in changing the locks of the office, removing respected old guards from subcommittees and lampooning them as advocates for homosexuality through the media does not quite go down well with the ground.

AWARE has won plaudits and respect for their work in promoting gender equality at workplace, fighting against discrimination and making a positive difference in the lives of many women.

Homosexuality was never on the agenda of AWARE at all though its existence was acknowledged and tolerated given the unique inclusive nature and spirit of the organization.

Many neutrals were uncomfortable and peeved off by the apparent insensitivity and disrespect shown to the pioneers of AWARE by the new exco.

Their greatest blunder lied in calling an abruptly and poorly organized press conference purportedly to clear the air and solicit public sympathies for their ordeals which include death threats hurled at their families.

Shouting matches, microphone-snatching and emotional outbursts among the AWARE members from the new team in the presence of the media has tarnished the good name of AWARE and cast serious doubts on the leadership qualities and moral authority of the new exco.

Dr Thio Su Mien’s appearance at the press conference in which she admitted sending emails urging her friends to join AWARE only confirmed the conspiracy theory that the takeover of AWARE was orchestrated behind the scenes by her.

Few were impressed or won over by Dr Thio’s rhetoric that the old AWARE had lost its direction as a women group which prompted her to intervene to salvage the situation.

The disastrous press conference marks the turning point of the seemingly intractable saga - public opinion swung strongly back into the favor of the old guards of AWARE.

2 Facebooks were set up in the matter of days to complement an earlier site to seek online support for the old guards. A petition was also launched which calls for the removal of the new exco.

The nail was finally hammered into the new exco’s coffin when the Ministry of Education released a strong-worded rebuttal on 28 April 2009 to Dr Thio’s claims that the comprehensive sexual education programme taught in schools by AWARE coordinators are promoting homosexuality.

In fact, MOE has received no complaints from parents about the programme and had written to Dr Thio to seek clarifications for her statements which were reported widely in the press.

It will be interesting to hear what Dr Thio has to say. Was it a baseless assumption on her part or did she manufacture the allegations to garner support for her scheme to hijack AWARE so as to push her own agenda subtlely in mainstream society under the guise of a secular organization.

The exco has changed the venue of the EGM to the Singapore EXPO Hall 2 and now to Suntec Exhibition hall presumably to accommodate more supporters they have brought along.

A prominent law film Rajah & Tann have also been appointed to act as the new exco’s legal advisors to address queries relating to AWARE’s constitution and meeting law and proccedue.

The new exco may win the battle on the day, but the war was lost a long time ago. They have managed to turn a vibrant, well regarded and inclusive NGO into an empty shell and a pale shadow of its once glorious past.

The old guards should consider setting up an alternative women’s group to continue their good work in the event they are unable to mount a vote of non-confidence against the new exco to remove them.

This will surely mark the demise of the AWARE helmed by the new exco for without public support from all quarters, it can only continue to preach to the converted.

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