VIDEO: AWARE new President Josie Lau was evasive on sensitive questions during interview with CNA “Talking Point” (Part 2)
April 20th, 2009 | 
Author: Background:
The recent AWARE AGM ended with much controversy and acrimony between the old and new exco members who were accused of ‘hijacking’ the election to further their own personal cause. What exactly happened? Listen to the interview with AWARE new President Josie Lau to find out
Recorded from CNA “Talking Point”:
PART 2
EDITORS’ NOTE:
Josie Lau and Maureen Ong were quick and eager to defend the legitimacy of the new AWARE Exco throughout the interview while conveniently skirting sensitive questions.
Debra Ong and P N Balji were too diplomatic and should quiz them directly on their alleged connection as members from the same church.
In the closing minutes, Josie Lau chose to leave the question on her stance on sexuality unanswered which left us with lingering doubts about her real agenda.
The two Exco members could have been forthcoming in addressing the many speculations which had arisen in both the new and print media over their backgrounds and motives for taking over AWARE and the strained relationships with the Old Guard.
Unfortunately, while they have given Singaporeans a glimpse of their future direction for AWARE, they did not sound convincing in allaying concerns that their personal beliefs may become complicit in the work AWARE is doing.
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Tags: 8 Responses to “VIDEO: AWARE new President Josie Lau was evasive on sensitive questions during interview with CNA “Talking Point” (Part 2)”
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New AWARE committee is committed to promoting healthy family. That’s good.
None of this femininist stuff like we see in the West where there is a break down of family leading to lawlessness and riotous living
Hi Eugene/Admin,
I agree with you on this one.
First they came for the gay and lesbians…. I did not speak up as I was not one….
And then they came for the abortion doctors… I did not speak up as I was not one….
And then they came after adulturers… I did not speak up as I was not one….
And Then they came for ME (an unbeliever)… And there were no one left to speak up….
If the new committee is secular and all-including, how come I don’t see other races in the new Committee (unlike the old AWARE) & would I be surprised if all of them were Christians?
My response to the interview with “new” AWARE is that there is lack of transparency on the part of the new leadership. Time was used as an excuse but certainly the new members must have thought through what they want to achieve in terms of women’s rights that they can contribute or desire to change in the “old” AWARE’s programme. The silence is deafening and threatening. The all too apparent hijacking has exposed their not so well hidden agenda. The issues that the new President can without hesitation express at least her personal views with a Yea or a Nay were not forthcoming. Does pro-family include anti-abortion and anti-condoms? Does pro-women include anti-lesbians and anti-same sex unions? The President stumbled at the sexuality question and lumped it with the gender issue.
Evasion was evident. Why a hostile take-over of an established
institution which new memhers have not contributed before instead of taking the responsible road to set up a new one. How does one mentor the young when the old are just as new to the movement? Integrity is an issue. We need to respect the rights of one another who are different in our multi-racial, multi-religious, and multi-cultural Singapore.
Since AWARE is a women’s rights NGO, it was quite funny that Maureen Ong had to remind Josie that one of the purposes of such an organisation is to fight discrimination. Josie’s suggestion about a ‘mentoring’ programme to help young women with ‘leadership potential’ was a bit surprising. I would have thought that women with leadership potential are least in need of women’s rights advocacy.
Balji asked what the new group would say if a woman was being discriminated by her employer on grounds of sexual orientation. Josie took a deep breath, paused and gave a non-commital answer. Remarkable. Has Josie thought through her response? Even if you disagree with homosexuals’ lifestyles and choices and you think they should ‘mend their ways’, what right does an employer have to discriminate against you on those grounds? For her not to make that basic point speaks volumes about her personal views.
The biggest loser in all this is AWARE. I never knew it only had 200 or so members as of 2008. If that is the case, why does the media routinely ask AWARE for its opinion on social policy issues involving women? Does AWARE have any credibility to speak on behalf of women in Singapore? Maureen Ong said that female expatriates may not becoming voting members of AWARE because AWARE files a report with CEDAW. I always thought that the purpose behind NGOs filing reports to CEDAW is to provide a counterpoint to the official MCYS report that precedes the 5-yearly review of each country’s compliance with the Women’s Rights Convention. In the circumstances, I am surprised that a tiny group with only 200 members has the temerity to challenge MCYS’s analysis of compliance with the Women’s Rights Convention. Sorry guys, but it’s a joke.
By the way, is it sexist to comment that Josie is a beautiful woman? Not particularly eloquent, but the looks more than make up for it.
If you have seen Miss USA, Josie just gave a politically correct answer unlike Miss California, just to support of own position as the president. Try tell that to her own church or family, its all about power and being famous isn’t it?
[...] PN Balji – Oh..he is a Hindu? He was the one that interviewed Josie Lau on the AWARE. He is pro-Thio throughout the whole saga. That is why someone commented any he was so diplomatic during the interview.http://akikonomu.blogspot.com/2009/0…ty-primer.html http://temasekreview.com/?p=8033 [...]