To AWARE’s new exco: Please leave out your religion!
SINGAPORE - The dramatic rise to AWARE’s leadership by a group of virtual unknowns kicked up a ruckus from within the organization itself all the way to cyberspace. What transpired was that 80 out of the 102 who turned up at the annual general meeting were new members who joined between January and March this year. Subsequently, the latter went on to elect many of their own peers into 9 out of 12 executive committee positions.
In the ensuing debates that followed, interesting information regarding the new executive committee members’ background surfaced. According to the older members, the newcomers were part of a Christian fundamentalist group that had the intention of taking over an existing organization in its entirety. The plot further thickens with revelations of the anti-homosexuality stand of the new Honorary Secretary and others in the new committee. It was revealed that they were prominent in writing against homosexuality in the Straits Times forum page, and this extended to their supporters too.
If fulfilling religious agenda is the motivation behind the takeover, AWARE could be facing the problem of a religious groupthink. Decisions will be based solely on the stands of such a group, and external ideas not conducive to the latter’s agenda will be rejected. For instance, would this group be in favor of pushing for the emancipation of a sexual minority group such as lesbians?
And would this religious groupthink result in AWARE losing the focus of its vision in achieving equality for all regardless of race, religion and sexuality? If the new members were to pursue their anti-homosexuality and anti-lesbian agenda in their capacity as AWARE members, it would be hard to see how they could be helping women achieving equality status. The bright side of this episode is that the public spotlight is now on the new members, and it appears from the public perspective, they seemed to be dissociating from their religious link.
Thus, this publicity may be positive in the sense that the newcomers’ credibility is now under scrutiny, which is why they are not keen to give signals of any religious link at the current moment. If they pursue any religious agenda, they will simply lose credibility. And AWARE risks degenerating into a quasi-religious organization, and losing its credibility as a whole too. From there, many possible eventualities abound, one of which is the establishment of another pro-women organization with AWARE’s original vision. In fact, hardly anyone would be surprised if the older members of AWARE were to set up a new organization based on similar principles, and this is followed by mass defection of dissatisfied members. AWARE will then become nothing more than a Christian women’s organization in pursuit of the Christian agenda.
It isn’t rare for a religious group to attempt seeking ways to pursue its religious agenda at the state level. Perhaps, the latter has a noble vision, reinforced by the belief that a state that lies on the bedrock on its beliefs will be better off. However, reality contradicts. In a seminal study by Gregory Paul and published in the Journal of Religion and Society, the least theistic secular democracies like Japan, France and Scandinavia have low rates of lethal crime, juvenile-adult mortality, sex-related dysfunction and even abortion. U.S., which professed to be a Christian nation demonstrated by absolute belief in God and the Bible’s literacy in addition to attendance of religious services, suffer from high homicide rates like Portugal, another Christian nation. And the U.S. has 6 to 300 times higher rates of adolescent gonorrhea infection as compared to other pro-evolution developed secular democracies. And what is more startling is that quantitative data seems to contradict the belief that more secular cultures lead to increased abortion rates. In fact, it was shown that increased adolescent abortion rates show positive correlation with theistic belief, and again such numbers are uniquely high in the U.S.. Early adolescent pregnancies have dropped in democracies, but remain twice to dozen times higher in the U.S..
And according to Margaret Talbot in an article published in the The New Yorker titled “Red Sex, Blue Sex”, findings by social scientists and scholars comparing the socially liberal “blue” states to the sexual abstinence advocating “red” states within the US seems to be consistent with the theistic-secular divide elucidated by Gregory Paul. The highest teen-pregnancy rates were in Nevada, Arizona, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas, whom are all red states, whilst blue states are amongst those with the lowest rates, with the exception of North Dakota, which is a red state. There was higher tendency to start families early due to unplanned pregnancies in the red states. Early marriage put couples at greater risk of divorce. Thus, states with the highest divorce rates are Nevada, Arkansas, Wyoming, Idaho and West Virginia, all of whom are red states.
Mr Alex Au, a popular socio-political commentator, highlighted his concerns that these new executive committee members might influence AWARE to preach abstinence and denounce abortion and homosexuality when invited to give sexuality talks to schools. For all the good intentions behind the preachings, it may result in undesirable outcomes as described in the aforementioned studies.
Since empirical observations have shown that there is no benefit in building a society that rests on the fundamentals of a theistic religion, religion should remain separate from the state. Even more so for a secular organization like AWARE. And staying secular might be the way to go, as secular democracies have been observed in such studies to be better off than their theistic counterparts.
http://forums.delphiforums.com/sunkopitiam/messages?msg=27516.2
Monday, April 20, 2009
The AWARE Saga and Political ‘Capture’: Lessons for Civil Society
The AWARE Saga and Political ‘Capture’: Lessons for Civil Society
The AWARE saga, where a new leadership emerged unexpectedly and displaced the old guard, represents a case of ‘political capture’. While some commentators have labelled it as a ‘coup’, a more accurate way of looking at the proceedings would be to see it as the ‘capture’ of power, made possible by distinct flaws of a democratic system. A ‘coup’ implies that the old leadership was forcefully removed from their positions and a new leadership was installed without the consent of constituents. That is not the case. The new members came to power via constitutional means and did nothing that overstepped the lines drawn by the organization’s constitution. In other words, the new leadership, by any democratic measure, is legitimate and has a right to lead the organization in the direction of their choosing, constrained only by Aware’s constitution, rules and to a lesser extent, norms.
In political science literature, political ‘capture’ occurs when a dominant person, or group, manages to attain an overwhelming degree of influence in an organization. The way this occurs, ironically, is made possible by the democratic process. NGOs are known to be transparent and democratic and AWARE is no different. Where heads and votes matter, the person, or persons, who get the most votes are legitimate holders of powers for that particular round of elections. Whether the elected office-bearers derive support, or votes, from an existing pool of members or from an outside pool of people who can be made eligible to vote by the simple act of signing up, is immaterial. The democratic process has been adhered to, and in a civic society, losers of an election have to be gracious, while winners have to be accepted( Provisions for a vote of ‘No Confidence’ is, fortunately, part of the deal).
The tone of the previous paragraph may imply that political ‘capture’ should be condoned but that is not its intention. The intention is to show that a democratic system produces democratically-elected representatives who are legitimate, as far as the constitution of the organization goes. Whether ‘capture’ is to be condoned, or to be seen as a manifestation of dirty politicking, is a matter of individual opinion. But of concern in this AWARE saga is the extent to which ‘capture’ can occur in other civil society organizations.
Organizations such as NGOs and sports associations regularly elect members to sit on their boards and who are entrusted with the task of leading the organization. It is not uncommon in Singapore to see organizations, especially sports associations, that have been led by the same person for numerous years. The reason for such a phenomenon is simply because the ‘electorate’, or the pool of members who are eligible to vote, is usually small and they usually have close connections to the elected member. However, when an electorate is allowed to grow in size overnight, as what presumably happened in AWARE, this system of democratic elections is open to abuse. A member running for a post can simply ask his/her friends to join the organization(usually having to pay a nominal fee) and appear in the AGM to vote him/her in. Implications? Members can buy votes from complete strangers who are indifferent to the aims of an organization, but are motivated by monetary, or other kinds of rewards.
The danger for civil society actors is clearly apparent here. Political ‘capture’ can occur should there be no countervailing system to prevent ‘new strangers’ from voting. A sudden influx of people paying the nominal membership due of $16 a year is all it takes to get a sudden surge of votes. Furthermore, any and every voluntary, open-door, organization is exposed to this risk. The potential political manipulation of an organization, by any group whether they are Christians,Marxists or Tree-huggers, is there to be exploited.
It’s time civil society actors revisit their constitutions and analyze the possibilities. It seems that AWARE is paying for its inability to forsee such a ‘capture’.
http://forums.delphiforums.com/sunkopitiam/messages?msg=27517.1
The AWARE saga, where a new leadership emerged unexpectedly and displaced the old guard, represents a case of ‘political capture’. While some commentators have labelled it as a ‘coup’, a more accurate way of looking at the proceedings would be to see it as the ‘capture’ of power, made possible by distinct flaws of a democratic system. A ‘coup’ implies that the old leadership was forcefully removed from their positions and a new leadership was installed without the consent of constituents. That is not the case. The new members came to power via constitutional means and did nothing that overstepped the lines drawn by the organization’s constitution. In other words, the new leadership, by any democratic measure, is legitimate and has a right to lead the organization in the direction of their choosing, constrained only by Aware’s constitution, rules and to a lesser extent, norms.
In political science literature, political ‘capture’ occurs when a dominant person, or group, manages to attain an overwhelming degree of influence in an organization. The way this occurs, ironically, is made possible by the democratic process. NGOs are known to be transparent and democratic and AWARE is no different. Where heads and votes matter, the person, or persons, who get the most votes are legitimate holders of powers for that particular round of elections. Whether the elected office-bearers derive support, or votes, from an existing pool of members or from an outside pool of people who can be made eligible to vote by the simple act of signing up, is immaterial. The democratic process has been adhered to, and in a civic society, losers of an election have to be gracious, while winners have to be accepted( Provisions for a vote of ‘No Confidence’ is, fortunately, part of the deal).
The tone of the previous paragraph may imply that political ‘capture’ should be condoned but that is not its intention. The intention is to show that a democratic system produces democratically-elected representatives who are legitimate, as far as the constitution of the organization goes. Whether ‘capture’ is to be condoned, or to be seen as a manifestation of dirty politicking, is a matter of individual opinion. But of concern in this AWARE saga is the extent to which ‘capture’ can occur in other civil society organizations.
Organizations such as NGOs and sports associations regularly elect members to sit on their boards and who are entrusted with the task of leading the organization. It is not uncommon in Singapore to see organizations, especially sports associations, that have been led by the same person for numerous years. The reason for such a phenomenon is simply because the ‘electorate’, or the pool of members who are eligible to vote, is usually small and they usually have close connections to the elected member. However, when an electorate is allowed to grow in size overnight, as what presumably happened in AWARE, this system of democratic elections is open to abuse. A member running for a post can simply ask his/her friends to join the organization(usually having to pay a nominal fee) and appear in the AGM to vote him/her in. Implications? Members can buy votes from complete strangers who are indifferent to the aims of an organization, but are motivated by monetary, or other kinds of rewards.
The danger for civil society actors is clearly apparent here. Political ‘capture’ can occur should there be no countervailing system to prevent ‘new strangers’ from voting. A sudden influx of people paying the nominal membership due of $16 a year is all it takes to get a sudden surge of votes. Furthermore, any and every voluntary, open-door, organization is exposed to this risk. The potential political manipulation of an organization, by any group whether they are Christians,Marxists or Tree-huggers, is there to be exploited.
It’s time civil society actors revisit their constitutions and analyze the possibilities. It seems that AWARE is paying for its inability to forsee such a ‘capture’.
http://forums.delphiforums.com/sunkopitiam/messages?msg=27517.1
AWARE old guard says debate is healthy
AWARE old guard says debate is healthy
By Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 20 April 2009 2201 hrs
SINGAPORE: The old guard from the women's group AWARE said the saga over the association's leadership change has resulted in a healthy debate in civil society. But it is not a fight as many would like to see it.
Singaporeans have often been criticised for being apathetic, but in a way, the AWARE saga has demonstrated otherwise.
Braema Mathi, former AWARE president and former Nominated Member of Parliament, said: "AWARE is simply an organisation that will always, I hope, stand up for any form of anti-discrimination - whether you are heterosexual, homosexual, transgender, transvestite, divorced or a single mum.
"This is the way a women's movement functions - you embrace all forms of diversity. But if communities outside are threatened by what has happened, they want to take it further, then we have to live with it. That is also part of the diversity of voices around.
"In a way, I see a lot of good things happening for Singapore happening through this episode too. I think women who care about this organisation now have to say, ‘Yes, what do I want to do?’
"Come, put your stake down - if your claim goes in whichever way, we accept it, but let's get to it. And other civil societies watching the space and wondering what is happening, and getting involved, I think all that is good."
Newly elected president Josie Lau had said AWARE had lost its focus under the old leadership, a view which the old guard said needs to be substantiated.
The old guard said that in recent years, AWARE has done a lot of work on sexuality education, body image and domestic violence. There are existing leadership programmes for members - for example, two years ago, the group's Youth Group ran a leadership camp. Women are also encouraged to serve on various committees.
Members of the old guard will be asking, at the upcoming Extraordinary General Meeting on May 2, questions about the new members' values - which they feel still have not been answered.
Braema added: "This is not a fight as I think everyone likes to see it. This is a simple case of 'we do not understand why you need to do it in the way so far'.
"Right now, it looks like the value system is the same. Then one doesn't need to do all this, one could just come and have volunteered some time ago and be part of the processes."
The old guard members also said they never wanted the matter to go to the media and they wanted to resolve it internally. But given the public interest in developments, coupled with the lack of communication from the newcomers, the old guards said they felt they had to respond.
On her dismissal by the new executive committee (exco) as chairman of one of AWARE's sub-committees, Braema said she will need to discuss the matter with her 20 committee members who are upset with her dismissal before deciding what to do.
The new executive committee had sacked her because it claimed a report that was due in March last year had not been submitted.
Braema, and AWARE's previous president Constance Singam, said the report was actually due in March this year.
AWARE's immediate past president Claire Nazar had also claimed that the new exco wanted to replace chairpersons of important subcommittees with exco members. AWARE President Josie Lau could not be reached for comments.
It now remains to be seen if answers will be forthcoming at the EGM next Saturday. - CNA/vm
http://forums.delphiforums.com/sunkopitiam/messages?msg=27463.4
By Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 20 April 2009 2201 hrs
SINGAPORE: The old guard from the women's group AWARE said the saga over the association's leadership change has resulted in a healthy debate in civil society. But it is not a fight as many would like to see it.
Singaporeans have often been criticised for being apathetic, but in a way, the AWARE saga has demonstrated otherwise.
Braema Mathi, former AWARE president and former Nominated Member of Parliament, said: "AWARE is simply an organisation that will always, I hope, stand up for any form of anti-discrimination - whether you are heterosexual, homosexual, transgender, transvestite, divorced or a single mum.
"This is the way a women's movement functions - you embrace all forms of diversity. But if communities outside are threatened by what has happened, they want to take it further, then we have to live with it. That is also part of the diversity of voices around.
"In a way, I see a lot of good things happening for Singapore happening through this episode too. I think women who care about this organisation now have to say, ‘Yes, what do I want to do?’
"Come, put your stake down - if your claim goes in whichever way, we accept it, but let's get to it. And other civil societies watching the space and wondering what is happening, and getting involved, I think all that is good."
Newly elected president Josie Lau had said AWARE had lost its focus under the old leadership, a view which the old guard said needs to be substantiated.
The old guard said that in recent years, AWARE has done a lot of work on sexuality education, body image and domestic violence. There are existing leadership programmes for members - for example, two years ago, the group's Youth Group ran a leadership camp. Women are also encouraged to serve on various committees.
Members of the old guard will be asking, at the upcoming Extraordinary General Meeting on May 2, questions about the new members' values - which they feel still have not been answered.
Braema added: "This is not a fight as I think everyone likes to see it. This is a simple case of 'we do not understand why you need to do it in the way so far'.
"Right now, it looks like the value system is the same. Then one doesn't need to do all this, one could just come and have volunteered some time ago and be part of the processes."
The old guard members also said they never wanted the matter to go to the media and they wanted to resolve it internally. But given the public interest in developments, coupled with the lack of communication from the newcomers, the old guards said they felt they had to respond.
On her dismissal by the new executive committee (exco) as chairman of one of AWARE's sub-committees, Braema said she will need to discuss the matter with her 20 committee members who are upset with her dismissal before deciding what to do.
The new executive committee had sacked her because it claimed a report that was due in March last year had not been submitted.
Braema, and AWARE's previous president Constance Singam, said the report was actually due in March this year.
AWARE's immediate past president Claire Nazar had also claimed that the new exco wanted to replace chairpersons of important subcommittees with exco members. AWARE President Josie Lau could not be reached for comments.
It now remains to be seen if answers will be forthcoming at the EGM next Saturday. - CNA/vm
http://forums.delphiforums.com/sunkopitiam/messages?msg=27463.4
London caught in a China vibe
Apr 21, 2009
London caught in a China vibe
By Daniel Allen
LONDON - As London gears up for its own Olympic Games sportfest in 2012, the runaway success of the Beijing Summer Olympics last year has given the English capital's fascination with all things Chinese a major shot in the arm. With over 100,000 Chinese nationals living in London alone, and another 150,000 across the British Isles, the spread of Chinese culture is a natural by-product of deepening bilateral ties and mutual respect.
London's Chinese community is one of the oldest in Europe, dating to the mid-1880s, when seamen from China settled in East London to escape their chicken-coop dockside lodgings. Nowadays, an impressive network of Chinese schools and community centers helps Chinese Londoners pass on their cultural identity from one generation to the next. Still, it's one thing to preserve your own culture, it's quite another to get other people of a different background to understand and appreciate it.
For many years, tucking into chicken chow mein or egg rolls from the local takeout was as close as most Londoners came to sampling Chinese culture. Set in the heart of the West End, London's Chinatown was little more than a loose collection of bargain buffets and cheap grocery stores. Neither very authentic nor very contemporary; it was, much like the fortune cookie, an aging Western take on a hackneyed Eastern theme.
Now, thanks to the Beijing Olympics, and the efforts of people like David Tse Ka Shing, all that is changing. Tse Ka Shing is creative director of the Chinatown Arts Space (CAS), started in 2003 by a group of British East Asian artist who wanted to drive the development of East Asian performing and visual arts in London. Over the past couple of years, CAS has organized many high-profile events, and was heavily involved in last year's "China in London" event.
"Together with all at CAS, I decided it was time to help rebrand Chinatown," says Tse Ka Shing. "For a long time the area was just known for food and shopping. Now a younger generation of Chinese and other East Asians in London want to express themselves, and this involves promoting all manner of art forms, from dance and drama though to sculpture and songwriting."
Most recently, CAS has overseen the installation of Chinatown's first public art work, a giant mural by Hong Kong-born architect and designer Wing Kei Wong. Her design, entitled 1888, is a huge mural of a simple bowl of rice that when viewed up close reveals itself to be a mosaic of 1888 photos of Chinatown, its residents and visitors. This month, a second art work, a three-meter long plastic and steel sculpture of a Chinese lion by Taiwanese Hsiao-Chi Tsai and Japanese Kimiya Yoshikawa, will be erected at one entrance to Chinatown.
The addition of Chinese-themed artwork is just the start of Chinatown's enhancement. Late last year, the London Chinatown Chinese Association (LCCA), set up over 30 years ago to promote the interests of Chinese businesses, teamed up with the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment and Westminster City Council to launch the Chinatown Design Strategy, which was aimed at boosting the area's authenticity and cultural appeal.
As a result of stakeholder consultation, this year's 2 million pound (US$2.9 million) Chinatown revamp is likely to include a new screen garden, golden lanterns, a timber pagoda and replicas of ancient Chinese dragon statues to guard its nine entrances. Building work, which will take into account Chinese mythology and feng shui, will be jointly funded by Westminster Council and private developers. There will also be a series of monthly crafts markets showcasing Chinese creative talents.
"The aim is to make Chinatown seem more authentic, taking its inspiration from Chinese cities such as Beijing, and should result in London's Chinatown being given even more of a Chinese feel," said Robert Davis, Westminster City Council's deputy leader. "It is vital that we work with the local community to develop design ideas that build on the area's heritage, and reflect the cultural identity of the Chinese community who first made this unique area of the West End their home in the 1950s."
Many people feel that Prince Charles' involvement in the Chinatown project, through the foundation, is a way of compensating for his high-profile boycott of the Beijing Games last year. The foundation has also recently worked to preserve Beijing's hutongs, the unique backstreets. Charles - who once famously described China's leaders as "appalling old waxworks" - recently met President Hu Jintao while he was in London for the Group of 20 summit, with the apparent aim of "mending bridges".
Hank Dittmar, chief executive of the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment, explains more behind the charity's thinking on Chinatown's development. "Our mission is to improve the quality of people's lives through a timeless and ecological approach to designing, planning and building. We think Chinese crafts and traditional building methods are enduring and will improve the quality of experience of Chinatown, both for residents and visitors.
"In Chinatown, we were particularly interested in learning how the design of the built environment had evolved, and is evolving still, within the context of its London surroundings. A key part of its distinctiveness comes from the blend of Western traditions and Chinese crafts, seen both in London and Beijing. By working with the local community, we hope to build on that cultural interchange, which has persisted for a couple of hundred years," says Dittmar.
People make places as much as pagodas, and keeping London's Chinese community involved in Chinatown's development has been vital. This was acknowledged by Suzannah Kwok, LCCA's vice president, when she spoke to BBC London recently. "We've engaged some of the younger members of the Chinese community in London Chinatown; some of the BBCs [British-born Chinese] have got involved. This is positive because in order for Chinatown to move forward we need to embrace the younger generation coming through as well as respecting the elders."
David Tse Ka Shing agrees with Kwok's sentiments. "A younger generation of Chinese people in London wants to express themselves. They can really contribute to the multicultural vitality of this city, with Chinatown as a base."
As part of London's Thames Festival in September, Tse Ka Shing and CAS are working on "Piccadilly Revisited", a project based on the 1929 silent black-and-white movie Piccadilly starring Anna May Wong, Hollywood's first-ever Chinese star. A fresh interpretation on a classical theme, it neatly sums up the capital's new take on Chinese culture in 2009.
Daniel Allen is a freelance writer and photographer from London who has lived in China for the past three years.
http://forums.delphiforums.com/sunkopitiam/messages?msg=27402.1
London caught in a China vibe
By Daniel Allen
LONDON - As London gears up for its own Olympic Games sportfest in 2012, the runaway success of the Beijing Summer Olympics last year has given the English capital's fascination with all things Chinese a major shot in the arm. With over 100,000 Chinese nationals living in London alone, and another 150,000 across the British Isles, the spread of Chinese culture is a natural by-product of deepening bilateral ties and mutual respect.
London's Chinese community is one of the oldest in Europe, dating to the mid-1880s, when seamen from China settled in East London to escape their chicken-coop dockside lodgings. Nowadays, an impressive network of Chinese schools and community centers helps Chinese Londoners pass on their cultural identity from one generation to the next. Still, it's one thing to preserve your own culture, it's quite another to get other people of a different background to understand and appreciate it.
For many years, tucking into chicken chow mein or egg rolls from the local takeout was as close as most Londoners came to sampling Chinese culture. Set in the heart of the West End, London's Chinatown was little more than a loose collection of bargain buffets and cheap grocery stores. Neither very authentic nor very contemporary; it was, much like the fortune cookie, an aging Western take on a hackneyed Eastern theme.
Now, thanks to the Beijing Olympics, and the efforts of people like David Tse Ka Shing, all that is changing. Tse Ka Shing is creative director of the Chinatown Arts Space (CAS), started in 2003 by a group of British East Asian artist who wanted to drive the development of East Asian performing and visual arts in London. Over the past couple of years, CAS has organized many high-profile events, and was heavily involved in last year's "China in London" event.
"Together with all at CAS, I decided it was time to help rebrand Chinatown," says Tse Ka Shing. "For a long time the area was just known for food and shopping. Now a younger generation of Chinese and other East Asians in London want to express themselves, and this involves promoting all manner of art forms, from dance and drama though to sculpture and songwriting."
Most recently, CAS has overseen the installation of Chinatown's first public art work, a giant mural by Hong Kong-born architect and designer Wing Kei Wong. Her design, entitled 1888, is a huge mural of a simple bowl of rice that when viewed up close reveals itself to be a mosaic of 1888 photos of Chinatown, its residents and visitors. This month, a second art work, a three-meter long plastic and steel sculpture of a Chinese lion by Taiwanese Hsiao-Chi Tsai and Japanese Kimiya Yoshikawa, will be erected at one entrance to Chinatown.
The addition of Chinese-themed artwork is just the start of Chinatown's enhancement. Late last year, the London Chinatown Chinese Association (LCCA), set up over 30 years ago to promote the interests of Chinese businesses, teamed up with the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment and Westminster City Council to launch the Chinatown Design Strategy, which was aimed at boosting the area's authenticity and cultural appeal.
As a result of stakeholder consultation, this year's 2 million pound (US$2.9 million) Chinatown revamp is likely to include a new screen garden, golden lanterns, a timber pagoda and replicas of ancient Chinese dragon statues to guard its nine entrances. Building work, which will take into account Chinese mythology and feng shui, will be jointly funded by Westminster Council and private developers. There will also be a series of monthly crafts markets showcasing Chinese creative talents.
"The aim is to make Chinatown seem more authentic, taking its inspiration from Chinese cities such as Beijing, and should result in London's Chinatown being given even more of a Chinese feel," said Robert Davis, Westminster City Council's deputy leader. "It is vital that we work with the local community to develop design ideas that build on the area's heritage, and reflect the cultural identity of the Chinese community who first made this unique area of the West End their home in the 1950s."
Many people feel that Prince Charles' involvement in the Chinatown project, through the foundation, is a way of compensating for his high-profile boycott of the Beijing Games last year. The foundation has also recently worked to preserve Beijing's hutongs, the unique backstreets. Charles - who once famously described China's leaders as "appalling old waxworks" - recently met President Hu Jintao while he was in London for the Group of 20 summit, with the apparent aim of "mending bridges".
Hank Dittmar, chief executive of the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment, explains more behind the charity's thinking on Chinatown's development. "Our mission is to improve the quality of people's lives through a timeless and ecological approach to designing, planning and building. We think Chinese crafts and traditional building methods are enduring and will improve the quality of experience of Chinatown, both for residents and visitors.
"In Chinatown, we were particularly interested in learning how the design of the built environment had evolved, and is evolving still, within the context of its London surroundings. A key part of its distinctiveness comes from the blend of Western traditions and Chinese crafts, seen both in London and Beijing. By working with the local community, we hope to build on that cultural interchange, which has persisted for a couple of hundred years," says Dittmar.
People make places as much as pagodas, and keeping London's Chinese community involved in Chinatown's development has been vital. This was acknowledged by Suzannah Kwok, LCCA's vice president, when she spoke to BBC London recently. "We've engaged some of the younger members of the Chinese community in London Chinatown; some of the BBCs [British-born Chinese] have got involved. This is positive because in order for Chinatown to move forward we need to embrace the younger generation coming through as well as respecting the elders."
David Tse Ka Shing agrees with Kwok's sentiments. "A younger generation of Chinese people in London wants to express themselves. They can really contribute to the multicultural vitality of this city, with Chinatown as a base."
As part of London's Thames Festival in September, Tse Ka Shing and CAS are working on "Piccadilly Revisited", a project based on the 1929 silent black-and-white movie Piccadilly starring Anna May Wong, Hollywood's first-ever Chinese star. A fresh interpretation on a classical theme, it neatly sums up the capital's new take on Chinese culture in 2009.
Daniel Allen is a freelance writer and photographer from London who has lived in China for the past three years.
http://forums.delphiforums.com/sunkopitiam/messages?msg=27402.1
Aware chief answers critics
April 20, 2009
Aware chief answers critics
Josie Lau says change needed as group had diversified too much | By Wong Kim Hoh, Senior Writer | ||
 |  | Ms Lau (far right, seated) said she hopes that an extraordinary general meeting to be held soon will provide an opportunity for an open discussion. -- ST PHOTO: MUGILAN RAJASEGERAN |
She hopes that an extraordinary general meeting to be held soon will provide an opportunity for an open discussion.
'The team has clearly fissured. I want to operate such that my members can support me, and we can all disagree in an agreeable environment,' she said.
Ms Lau and Aware's new honorary treasurer Maureen Ong appeared on Channel News Asia's half-hour Talking Point programme aired on Sunday night.
They said they could not understand why the Aware old guard had been unhappy with the change, when the exco's new faces had merely responded to calls to serve women.
Asked if their takeover was a planned coup, Ms Lau said: 'No.' She and Ms Ong claimed they had only just got to know each other.
They were short on details about their plans, saying it was too soon.
But Ms Lau said change was needed because Aware had lost its focus and diversified too much, going into too many different areas. The result was that it did not have enough depth.
'Like any good corporation, if you have diversified too much, consolidate,' she said. 'And as with any new committee, we know that resources are always limited, (so) let's take a look and review what is done in the past that is good, let's keep that, and what new ideas we have, bring on.'
She said she hoped to start a mentoring scheme to groom younger women for leadership positions.
http://forums.delphiforums.com/sunkopitiam/messages?msg=27393.1
DBS sending wrong message on volunteerism
DBS sending wrong message on volunteerism
The bank said it supported her involvement as an executive committee member, but not as president. The rationale given was that being president of Aware would compromise her work performance. Another reason was that she had not heeded its protocol in seeking an external appointment.
Ms Lau had run to be an exco member, but due to the sudden resignation of the elected president, she had stepped up to take on the president's role.
Bearing in mind the swift turn of events, should DBS not applaud Ms Lau for stepping forward, instead of rebuking her? I assume there is no conflict of interest as she was allowed to be involved as an Aware exco member.
I am concerned about the message on volunteerism that DBS is sending to women - or men, for that matter.
With higher governance standards expected of the charity and voluntary welfare sector, boards in these organisations need people to step up to volunteer their time and expertise.
By rebuking one of its vice-presidents who had stepped up to take on a leadership role in a volunteer organisation and dictating her level of involvement, DBS is sending a wrong message. It also prejudged Ms Lau's performance, even before she had been given the chance to prove herself.
If all other organisations took DBS' stance, we would never have seen the likes of Ms Grace Fu, who was from PSA; and Ms Jessica Tan, Microsoft Singapore's managing director, contributing to society and their families in their multiple roles as career women, MPs, wives and mothers.
Teo Tze Wei
http://forums.delphiforums.com/sunkopitiam/messages?msg=27381.1
The Right to Die in Singapore
The Right to Die in Singapore
Written by Ben Bland
Monday, 20 April 2009
From a proud tower in the town/Death looks gigantically down/On the island republic
Singapore may have not a reputation for opening its doors to outspoken activists but in an intriguing move, next month it will host a seminar by one of the world’s most controversial speakers, Philip Nitschke, the Australian campaigner for voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide known, like Dr Jack Kevorkian in the United States, as "Dr Death".
What makes the visit of the renowned pro-euthanasia campaigner even more surprising is the legal status of suicide in Singapore, where attempting to take your own life remains a criminal offence. Those who have slashed their wrists or taken an overdose but failed to kill themselves are routinely handcuffed to their beds when they are brought into hospital by the police. Assisting a suicide is considered an even more serious crime, with a mandatory jail term for anyone found guilty of such an offence.
Nitschke has played a key role in driving the global debate about voluntary euthanasia and in 1996 he became the first ever doctor to administer a fully-legal, voluntary lethal injection under the right-to-die law in Australia’s Northern Territories. His campaign group, Exit International, regularly holds seminars around the world in which it discusses voluntary euthanasia and tells over 50s and the seriously ill how they can end their lives in a reliable, painless and cost-effective manner. However, his vigorous advocacy for euthanasia has earned him many critics, who oppose assisted suicide on moral, religious or social grounds.
With an irony not lost on Nitschke himself, he will be welcomed in Singapore, a state that places strict limits on public discourse, just weeks after he was turned away by the Oxford Union, the famous university debating society that likes to think of itself as the "last bastion of free speech in the Western world".
"We get repeated requests for information from Singapore so we think it would be reasonable to see what the interest really is," Nitschke told Asia Sentinel from his base in Darwin. "We’re unclear about the reaction but we’ll see how things go."
The Singaporean government argues that it is necessary to place restrictions on freedom of speech when it comes to sensitive political and religious issues in order to prevent outbreaks of social disorder. The fact that the government is willing to allow in someone such as Nitschke, whose views have prompted furious opposition from religious groups in the past, is indicative of its desire to push forward the debate about end of life issues in a nation that has one of the world’s most rapidly-ageing populations.
By 2030, one in five Singaporeans will be over 65, up from 1 in 12 today, according to the Ministry of Community, Development, Youth and Sports’ latest report on the ageing population. This graying of Singapore, which is being driven by a low birth rate and ever-increasing life expectancy, will put even greater pressure on the island’s already-stretched healthcare and social services.
Singapore has also been flirting with ways to increase the number of organ donors for those with failing kidneys or other organs. As Asia Sentinel reported in January, the government has decided to legalize the payment of compensation to organ donors, who can be reimbursed for their medical expenses and loss of earnings. Although the figure has yet to be finalized, the sum could be at least S$50,000 (US$33,179.69 after Singapore’s most recent devaluation).
In a widely reported speech last year, health minister Khaw Boon Wan called for an open public discussion about the end of life issues including palliative care and the right to a "good death". While not openly endorsing euthanasia, he said that he had been moved by accounts of terminally ill people who wanted the right to end their lives.
"I do not know if Singaporeans are ready for euthanasia," he explained. "But I do know that aging will throw up many more human stories of agony and suffering. All societies will have to prepare for longer life spans and the many dilemmas that they will have to confront. We must seek a humane way out of such dilemmas."
In light of these comments, it becomes easier to understand why Singapore is welcoming Nitschke with such open arms. His seminar, which will take place on May 13, is being hosted by the National Arts Council, in the ultra-modern National Library building.
Nitschke says that while there is a chance that the event will fall apart because he still needs to obtain a public entertainment license, he is hopeful that there will be no hitches. He is mindful of the legal climate surrounding suicide in Singapore and concedes that he will be modifying his usual program as a result.
"We'll be taking a great deal of notice of the legal situation and we won't be presenting the same sort of material as we do in the UK, for example," he says. "We’ll mostly be talking about the advantages and disadvantages of moving toward legislation for providing legal assistance to die."
Nitschke says he will not be running his workshop on how to commit suicide painlessly, although he will happily direct Singaporeans to such information, which is widely available on the Exit International website and elsewhere on the internet, if they ask.
"I would imagine that there'll be private discussions with people who want to know how to end their lives and I’d point them in the right direction without necessarily sitting down and saying this is what you do," he explains.
The main aim of his trip is to generate support for the establishment of a branch of Exit International in Singapore. "We’d like to see a branch of our organization set up in Singapore and I’ll be interested in talking to people who want to help us do that," he says.
Although the right-to-die law in the Northern Territories was overturned after just a few months, a number of other jurisdictions - including Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the US states of Oregon and Washington - have since enacted similar legislation.
Nitschke is hopeful that he can persuade more governments to bring in right-to-die laws, which he believes are much needed. "There’s an awful lot of tragedy going on around us," he adds. "I see people every day caught up in medical nightmares who are desperate for help. But people are fearful to provide that help because of the legal climate we all find ourselves operating in."
He thinks it is an "inevitability" that right-to-die laws will eventually become commonplace around the world and that it is a question of "when not if". Judging by the government’s unusually open-minded approach, perhaps Singapore will be next.
http://forums.delphiforums.com/sunkopitiam/messages?msg=27552.1
Written by Ben Bland
Monday, 20 April 2009
From a proud tower in the town/Death looks gigantically down/On the island republic
Singapore may have not a reputation for opening its doors to outspoken activists but in an intriguing move, next month it will host a seminar by one of the world’s most controversial speakers, Philip Nitschke, the Australian campaigner for voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide known, like Dr Jack Kevorkian in the United States, as "Dr Death".
What makes the visit of the renowned pro-euthanasia campaigner even more surprising is the legal status of suicide in Singapore, where attempting to take your own life remains a criminal offence. Those who have slashed their wrists or taken an overdose but failed to kill themselves are routinely handcuffed to their beds when they are brought into hospital by the police. Assisting a suicide is considered an even more serious crime, with a mandatory jail term for anyone found guilty of such an offence.
Nitschke has played a key role in driving the global debate about voluntary euthanasia and in 1996 he became the first ever doctor to administer a fully-legal, voluntary lethal injection under the right-to-die law in Australia’s Northern Territories. His campaign group, Exit International, regularly holds seminars around the world in which it discusses voluntary euthanasia and tells over 50s and the seriously ill how they can end their lives in a reliable, painless and cost-effective manner. However, his vigorous advocacy for euthanasia has earned him many critics, who oppose assisted suicide on moral, religious or social grounds.
With an irony not lost on Nitschke himself, he will be welcomed in Singapore, a state that places strict limits on public discourse, just weeks after he was turned away by the Oxford Union, the famous university debating society that likes to think of itself as the "last bastion of free speech in the Western world".
"We get repeated requests for information from Singapore so we think it would be reasonable to see what the interest really is," Nitschke told Asia Sentinel from his base in Darwin. "We’re unclear about the reaction but we’ll see how things go."
The Singaporean government argues that it is necessary to place restrictions on freedom of speech when it comes to sensitive political and religious issues in order to prevent outbreaks of social disorder. The fact that the government is willing to allow in someone such as Nitschke, whose views have prompted furious opposition from religious groups in the past, is indicative of its desire to push forward the debate about end of life issues in a nation that has one of the world’s most rapidly-ageing populations.
By 2030, one in five Singaporeans will be over 65, up from 1 in 12 today, according to the Ministry of Community, Development, Youth and Sports’ latest report on the ageing population. This graying of Singapore, which is being driven by a low birth rate and ever-increasing life expectancy, will put even greater pressure on the island’s already-stretched healthcare and social services.
Singapore has also been flirting with ways to increase the number of organ donors for those with failing kidneys or other organs. As Asia Sentinel reported in January, the government has decided to legalize the payment of compensation to organ donors, who can be reimbursed for their medical expenses and loss of earnings. Although the figure has yet to be finalized, the sum could be at least S$50,000 (US$33,179.69 after Singapore’s most recent devaluation).
In a widely reported speech last year, health minister Khaw Boon Wan called for an open public discussion about the end of life issues including palliative care and the right to a "good death". While not openly endorsing euthanasia, he said that he had been moved by accounts of terminally ill people who wanted the right to end their lives.
"I do not know if Singaporeans are ready for euthanasia," he explained. "But I do know that aging will throw up many more human stories of agony and suffering. All societies will have to prepare for longer life spans and the many dilemmas that they will have to confront. We must seek a humane way out of such dilemmas."
In light of these comments, it becomes easier to understand why Singapore is welcoming Nitschke with such open arms. His seminar, which will take place on May 13, is being hosted by the National Arts Council, in the ultra-modern National Library building.
Nitschke says that while there is a chance that the event will fall apart because he still needs to obtain a public entertainment license, he is hopeful that there will be no hitches. He is mindful of the legal climate surrounding suicide in Singapore and concedes that he will be modifying his usual program as a result.
"We'll be taking a great deal of notice of the legal situation and we won't be presenting the same sort of material as we do in the UK, for example," he says. "We’ll mostly be talking about the advantages and disadvantages of moving toward legislation for providing legal assistance to die."
Nitschke says he will not be running his workshop on how to commit suicide painlessly, although he will happily direct Singaporeans to such information, which is widely available on the Exit International website and elsewhere on the internet, if they ask.
"I would imagine that there'll be private discussions with people who want to know how to end their lives and I’d point them in the right direction without necessarily sitting down and saying this is what you do," he explains.
The main aim of his trip is to generate support for the establishment of a branch of Exit International in Singapore. "We’d like to see a branch of our organization set up in Singapore and I’ll be interested in talking to people who want to help us do that," he says.
Although the right-to-die law in the Northern Territories was overturned after just a few months, a number of other jurisdictions - including Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the US states of Oregon and Washington - have since enacted similar legislation.
Nitschke is hopeful that he can persuade more governments to bring in right-to-die laws, which he believes are much needed. "There’s an awful lot of tragedy going on around us," he adds. "I see people every day caught up in medical nightmares who are desperate for help. But people are fearful to provide that help because of the legal climate we all find ourselves operating in."
He thinks it is an "inevitability" that right-to-die laws will eventually become commonplace around the world and that it is a question of "when not if". Judging by the government’s unusually open-minded approach, perhaps Singapore will be next.
http://forums.delphiforums.com/sunkopitiam/messages?msg=27552.1
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