Tide of public opinion turns against AWARE new exco
May 2nd, 2009 | 
Author: By Fang Zhi Yuan
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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Thio Su Mien and her gang are born in the wrong age. They would have a lot of support if they were living centuries ago, when the earth was flat, earth was the center of the universe, and diseases were caused by spirits possessing your body.
But then again, perhaps not. Because centuries ago, Asian people like Thio would be considered lesser beings similar to animals and should only be treated as slaves. They won’t even be allowed to have a voice, much less practice Christianity.
dr. thio is really acting like a white collar thug / hooligan this time. this must be her alter ego. totally different from her polished career in the legal field
Dear All
Please read what Ovidia Yu writes about Greogory Vijayendran the lawyer from Rajah and Tann.
http://ovidiayu.wordpress.com/2009/05/01/messrs-rajah-tann-why-why-why/
Messrs Rajah & Tann have been appointed to act as AWARE’s legal advisors to attend the EGM to be convened on 2nd May 2009 to address legal queries relating to, and raised during, the EGM including the matters intended to be transacted, AWARE’s constitution and meeting law and procedure.
according to the EGM email I received from the new AWARE ExCo.
If Messrs Rajah & Tann were appointed as a company to act, why–of all their many lawyers and given the touchy fundamentalist Christian vs Everyone Else situation–did they pick Gregory Vijayendran to represent them?
Gregory Vijayendra, who says on his work profile that the award he treasures the most however is the Good Samaritan Award conferred on him in Washington DC in October 2008 by Advocates International for his leadership of Advocates Asia
Bearing witness of Jesus Christ through the legal profession by encouraging and enabling advocates to meet locally, organize nationally, cooperate regionally and link globally.
By appointing a lawyer with such a “strong” christian background, I can only think that such arrogance is really going too far. It is giving the message that “we don’t care anymore about public, i.e. the non-christian’s opinion” and that “we are going ahead with OUR xxx.”
ask dr. thio as their lawyer lah! somehow free what no need to pay FM Thio (she must have been fantasizing to become MM Thio one day). why need to wayang by paying exorbitant fee to lawyer gregory who may have conflict of moral interest because of his religious background. he must discharge himself from the duty! enough wayang from the pussycats!!
I think your posting would be more appropriately titled “The Wayang Party turns against AWARE new exco”.
Seriously, if you are talking about public opinion, the only ‘tide’ I see is the outrage (especially by parents) that MOE had allowed the old AWARE to conduct so-called sex education that promotes homosexuality and promiscuity among our students.
Frankly, my regard for The Wayang Party as a bold & unbiased site has dropped a notch.
How can secular Singapore discuss homosexuality meaningfully?
See post on http://inspirationfortoday.wordpress.com/
How to accept homosexuality without eroding or compromising strong family values? How can we build strong families while homosexuals live without discrimination?
Share your views on http://inspirationfortoday.wordpress.com/
real parent <3000 members in facebook alone that decries the action of the new EXCO?
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=72296674515
And 2666 signatures protesting against the actions of the new EXCO?
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/gender-equality-for-all.html
dear real parent
its either you don’t read or just plain ignorant..
since when the AWARE sex education promote homosexuality?
you base it on a person words?
if thats the only “tide” you see..just prove that you are narrow minded.
when a kid go stray..its not the education fault, its the parents.
“Deadpool on Sat, 2nd May 2009 11:40 am
dear real parent
its either you don’t read or just plain ignorant..
since when the AWARE sex education promote homosexuality?
you base it on a person words?
if thats the only “tide” you see..just prove that you are narrow minded.
when a kid go stray..its not the education fault, its the parents.”
Sorry, I was just commenting on the posting made by WP regarding the ‘tide’ of public opinion. The only ‘tide’ I see is the outrage by parents against the old AWARE sex education program – whether i’m narrow minded, and the reasons for kids going astray is another topic for discussion.
There is much misunderstanding what the new AWARE exco has set out to do. After listening to both sides, it is clear that their objective is to promote healthy family values.
Since most of exco members attend a church, the whole affair has turned into a Christian-bashing exercise by the Singapore public.
The “TODAY” newspaper published on 1st May 2009 an article on “AWARE’s Comprehensive Sexual Education” taught in 11 secondary schools in Singapore.
Some of the things taught of concern to parents are:
“1. Anal sex – can be healthy or neutral if practised with consent and with a condom.
10. Homosexual – people have different preferences for their partners. Homosexuality is perfectly normal.”
The CSE project is fully paid for by a trust whose chairman is pastor advisor to the Free Community Church which accepts gays, lesbians and transvestites.
Traditional religions (Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, etc.) have not viewed homosexuality and same-sex marriage as a “normal” situation.
Singapore parents have a right to be concern and it would be helpful if the Ministry of Education name the 11 schools so as to keep parents informed.
Dear real parent,
Who are you, really? I am extremely glad of WP coverage of the issues & have been encouraging the kiddies (mainly teenies here) to read the article & discuss.
And, I’m a parent as well but don’t go around blowing my trumpet as a ‘real parent’. What I read in your so called feedback is that only fundamentalist Christians way of raising children is the right way. You know, parents have been raising children way before Christianity & you may be surprised, but most of them had, have & will continue to do a good job.
indeed homosexuality,AWARE sex education program and outrage of some parents are all important issues for open debate and contest of ideas under proper rules of engagement and with proper mutual respect, and indeed “another topic for discussion”..and clearly they are NOT the issues at stake at AWARE EGM or this WP column on public view of new exco…
when NCCS and leaders of all other religions and faiths and inter-faith, and DPM spoke out against any religious group overtly or covertly influencing the election results of a secular organisation, and the blatant invovement of COOS and father Derek Hong now himself stands corrected after his earlier misunderstanding as regards what contitute truths and lies etc etc the tide of public opinion is indeed overwhelming…
Is there a real outrage by parents or another orchestrated one? We should really be careful here given the recent turn of events and the tactics favoured by one side.
The CSE doesn say homosexuality is good or bad – merely that it exists in our society. Is this equal to saying children are being “encouraged” to experiment? we as parents should be the moral compass for our children, to guide and shape the value system they live by – we can’t simply outsource this role to school system. But taking a neutral position doesn seem to sit well with the religious teachings of TSM and her mentees – the main motivation for their stealthy takeover of aware.
i think Wayang Party has done a great job here – many won’t have known about coos’s & derek hong’s active involvement in encourging its followers to take side on issues involving a secular organisation – and continue to lie about it until confronted with video evidence posted on this webside. lying is not a lesser sin.
I agreeded that this group of new AWARE women are born incorrectly….
A group of like-minded stupid women trying to take over the Singapore is being foolish, change locks, pull people’s hair, kena death treats.. Hahaha… They deserved to be punished… Wonder why GOD never punish them yet…
If these women were born centuries earlier, they shall be drowned in pool already, or burnt as witches
the only opinion that matters is the women who are will to pay membership and show up to vote!
Although many can successfully argue that homo sex acts, in particular male-male intercourse, is something ‘neutral’ and thus to be accepted as a fact of life, I do not agree that it is neutral at all. I can only agree that it is something which exists on the fringe of human civilisation, since it is done, at least presently, only by a minority of humanity. (In this regard, I must add that even when it is done between normal couples for the purpose of variety, it is not something to be encouraged on account of it’s obviously unnatural and unhygienic nature).
Depicting the act as ‘neutral’, as opposed to unnatural, has the effect of gradually desensitizing and influencing the minds of the majority of the masses, which will inevitably result in hastened natural proliferation of such behaviour, notwithstanding the need for worldly ‘progress’. People’s ‘willingness to learn’ must never be underestimated.
In my view, it would be much better if such deviant practices are only given their proper place, namely remain on the fringe of civilization, rather than an honourable air of respectability.
Our society’s wholesome values are at stake.
hi guys.. just thought you should take a look at this before shooting down “real parent”
http://www.aware.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/aware-old-guard-hijacked-against-family-values.pdf
this file is actually posted on Aware’s website. Care to have a read before judging?
Thanks!!
I also can say I received a death threat last night too. Actually I would have asked my friend to write something and send it to my mailbox. So simple!
Evangelism is highly unnatural and yet the society regards them as normal. Sometimes it’s live and let live. Bees sting but are needed for pollination of plants. There is a need for everyone in society, a value imbued to my religion. Of course, I can’t say the same for people from other religion that breeds hate and animosity.
[...] Tide of public opinion turns against AWARE new exco, wayangparty.com Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Concerns about both old and new guardAware should neither promote nor reject homosexuality Comments (0) [...]
Hi outsider (9:17pm):
“rather than an honourable air of respectability”
Branding homosexuality as NEUTRAL does not mean I will go around “respecting” people for being gay. If you think about it, that is just absurd. It only means I will be NEUTRAL towards them, and not let their sexual orientation be a factor in my judgment of them.
“it’s obviously unnatural and unhygienic nature”
It is a misconception that homosexual sex must be “unhygienic” or unhealthy. If proper measures like the use of condom are taken, there is no reason why it must be so.
It may seem that homosexual sex is obviously “unnatural” to you, but the case is not as clear-cut as you think. In “natural” wildlife, there are abundant examples of homosexual sex in animals. Do a google and you might be amazed.
On the other hand, humans do many things that can be seen as “unnatural”. We breed dogs by unnatural selection. We change the course of rivers and streams. We keep dying patients alive by life support…
My point is, “natural” or “unnatural” are fuzzy concepts that cannot be properly defined or applied in a useful way. As long as the acts of others do not harm us, we should just give them the freedom to choose what they want.
Who are we to judge that we definitely know better than others?
To Facts of what is taught at CSE:
Re: “Anal sex – can be healthy or neutral if practised with consent and with a condom.”
Why don’t you answer these questions?
1. Is obtaining consent from a sexual partner before performing a sex act (that is actually more common than acknowledged, and even performed in the animal kingdom that we descend from) HEALTHY?
2. Is the use of condoms to prevent STDs HEALTHY?
What are your true objections to these few seconds (out of a 3-hour session) of a statement of FACT?
To Facts of what is taught at CSE (again):
Re: “The CSE project is fully paid for by a trust whose chairman is pastor advisor to the Free Community Church which accepts gays, lesbians and transvestites.”
Who funds the sex ed program conducted by Focus on the Family?
You (and everyone else as a matter of fact) would be stunned to read this brilliant expose (the matter has gone international even while there are those claiming that this is not a national issue):
http://dogemperor.newsvine.com/_news/2009/04/24/2729992-a-steeplejacking-of-a-womens-ngo-in-singapore-a-rare-glimpse-at-how-joels-army-groups-work-in-practice
“…the new committee was quoted in fairly and legitimately by a majority vote…”
Legally, yeah, fairly, heck no!
There’s a huge difference.
They employed expensive external lawyer etc just to dry out the fund of AWARE within a short period as fast as possible. That’s their motive.
Hey new exco finally employed an Indian lawyer! Minority race! Not bad!
You are indeed correct to say that we come (evolved) from the animals.
Common observation verifies the validity of the theory of evolution.
Males dogs always get it right when they mate, they go for female dogs and you can bet that they aim for the vagina and not the anus.
As to whether there is such a thing as a “gay gene”, it is questionable because its very existence contradicts the theory of evolution.
If it does exists the Irans are seeing to it that the theory of evolution prevails.
http://towleroad.typepad.com/towleroad/2005/07/report_gay_yout.html