AWARE EGM Notice – Change of Venue

They have changed the venue from Expo to Suntec.

29^th April 2009

To: AWARE Members

EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

TO BE HELD ON 2^ND MAY 2009

Notice is hereby given that:

1. The venue of the Extraordinary General Meeting (“EGM”) of the Association of Women for

Action & Research (“AWARE”) to be held on Saturday, 2^nd May 2009 , from 2.00 p.m. to

5.00 p.m. is hereby changed as follows:

Exhibition Hall 402

Suntec Singapore

International Convention & Exhibition Centre

1 Raffles Boulevard, Suntec City ,

Singapore 039593

This notification supercedes all previous notifications.

2.    Admission and registration would be from 12.00 noon to 2.00 p.m. on Saturday, 2^nd

May 2009 .

Registration for new members will close once the EGM starts at 2.00 p.m.

Existing members may be admitted.

It is mandatory to show your NRIC for admission and registration.

3. Messrs Rajah & Tann have been appointed to act as AWARE’s legal advisors to attend the

EGM to be convened on 2^nd 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.

By Order Of The Executive Committee

Jenica Chua

Honorary Secretary

Association of Women for Action & Research

One Cause For All Women

One Cause For All Women

AWARE EGM Notice – Change of Venue

AWARE EGM Notice – Change of Venue

27^th April 2009

To: AWARE Members

EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

TO BE HELD ON 2^ND MAY 2009

Notice is hereby given that:

1. The venue of the Extraordinary General Meeting (“EGM”) of the Association of Women for

Action & Research (“AWARE”) to be held on Saturday, 2^nd May 2009 , from 2.00 p.m. to

5.00 p.m. is hereby changed as follows:

Singapore EXPO Hall 2

1 Expo Drive, #01-01

Singapore 486150

Admission and registration would be from 12.00 noon to 2.00 p.m. on Saturday, 2^nd

May 2009 .

It is mandatory to show your NRIC for admission and registration.

2. Messrs Rajah & Tann have been appointed to act as AWARE’s legal advisors to attend the

EGM to be convened on 2^nd 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.

By Order Of The Executive Committee

Jenica Chua

Honorary Secretary

Association of Women for Action & Research

Civil Engagement in a Civil Society

A lot has happened over the AWARE saga, and because of exams, I have not been able to do a commentary on it. Not that there would be a lot for me to say, every possible angle has been thoroughly canvassed by the bloggosphere and media. It is really quite clear that I do not support the new exco after them using such shady methods and knowing their background. I do not find my confidence in them bolstered after the revelation that Dr Thio Su-Mien is behind it. I have already had a run-in with her daughter, Dr Thio Li-Ann before, as some people would remember – and while I disagreed with her and found her remarks in parliament insulting, I was one of the first ones to stand up and say that she should not be fired or receive death threats because of what she said. My principles, or stance, have not changed. I believe, and still believe, in civil, dignified debate, not name-calling or personal attacks.

So, whoever send that death threat to the new exco – cut it out. You are making us look bad. While I have strong doubts about the veracity of the said death threat, or even any real intention, I am going to treat it as real for the purposes of this discussion, and repeat, once again, that no one, NO ONE, should be doing anything remotely despicable. Having said that (and this is directed at you, new exco) receiving death threats does not make your cause a noble one (Harvey Milk got death threats on a regular basis, and I doubt you are going to agree his cause is noble).

Secondly, as to Josie Lau’s job. I have absolutely no idea what DBS is doing to her position, and frankly, I don’t care. While the revelation that she is the one who led DBS-FOTF linkup is infuriating but not surprising, I believe that issue has already been dealt with and buried. DBS has learned its lesson. But this new saga really has nothing to do with them. I know some of us already cancelled our DBS accounts after the FOTF saga – and now there is a new call from Mr Wang to cancel our DBS cards so that Josie can get fired.

I have to say, this is not a strategy I am comfortable with, or will ever endorse. Boycotting a business that might support an anti-gay cause is one thing, but trying to target it at a person is not acceptable unless she’s a mass murderer/fraudster etc.

Josie is as much as human being as the rest of us, and she has a family to support too – two kids, in fact. She has the full right to have a career and do things outside this career, and express her own views. As do any of us. How would any of you like to be fired because you supported a gay cause? What if all the fundies called in and boycotted the business/company you worked for, just to get you fired? Her job performance has nothing to do with her beliefs – DBS can decide whether to keep her on or not.

I will not, and cannot, endorse such a blunt tool tactic. That’s going too far. Not to mention it will only backfire on us, because we are going to look petty and undignified. Let’s try to do justice to YawningBread’s assertion that we are a mature bunch on this issue.

Not to mention I do not want to hear the new exco play the victim again. It is kind of getting tiring, really. Morever, when they play the victim, they avoid the real issues and hard questions. They are already good at that, lets not give them more opportunities.

Save AWARE! Gender equality for all!

Save AWARE! Gender equality for all!

Please sign this petition, especially if you are unable to attend and vote at the EOGM.

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SAVE AWARE

SAVE AWARE

The foundation of AWARE as a secular organisation that embraces diversity in race, religion, culture and sexuality has been challenged.

At the AGM on 28th March 2009, a group of women who were mostly entirely new to AWARE (generally, 2 – 5 months experience) orchestrated a takeover of AWARE to further their own agenda. Click here for more details of the AGM and the events that followed.

We, concerned members of AWARE, are working with former AWARE Committee Members and Founder Members to petition for an EGM to consider a vote of no confidence in the New Exco.

OUR GROUNDS INCLUDE:

1. Lack of Transparency
The group has to-date not once communicated to its membership despite intense scrutiny and questions raised by the media on its intentions. The secrecy of the group is disturbing and gives rise to greater suspicion.

2. Lack of Experience
8 of the 9 new members have been in AWARE for less than 5 months; none of them has served in AWARE committees nor participated in AWARE initiatives as volunteers.

3. Unjustified Termination and Disregard of Experienced Volunteers
The New Exco has terminated all the current heads of the AWARE sub-committees, including the summary dismissal of Braema Mathi, Chairperson of AWARE’s CEDAW Committee (CEDAW stands for Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women). Ms Mathi is Singapore’s leading NGO expert on CEDAW.

4. Presidents
The new Exco have kept ex-President, Constance Singham out of Exco meetings, which is unconstitutional. Constance Singham and Claire Nazar have resigned from the new Exco on the grounds that their advice and direction have been totally disregarded by members of the new Exco.

5. Conflict of Interest
We have reasons to believe that given the religious and anti-gay beliefs of the New Exco, the new Exco will not support AWARE’s fundamental principles of inclusiveness and empowerment of ALL women regardless of religion and sexuality.

If you would like to support this cause, please read our CALL TO ACTION

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AWARE Membership Drive

AWARE Membership Drive

Date : 25th (Sat) & 26th (Sun)
Time : 3-9pm
Location : Food #03
http://www.food03.sg
6396 7980
107+109 Rowell Road

For those who have been trying to sign up for the past few weeks but haven’t been able to.

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• 07:16 has reinstated Flock. #
• 07:16 has reinstated #flock. #

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Quotables Quotes Update

I am just not comfy with friends giving me lapdances and not getting naked at the same time.

– Ant

Random Rant

This time it is about campus food. Everyone and their grandmothers know about the bad food at the NUS Bukit Timah campus – the canteen that calls itself “The Summit”, when one has to eat there every single fracking day, could possibly lead one to cannibalism as a better alternative.

In the past three days, for various reasons, I’ve been coming to the main campus. Today, it was to pick up some books from the Business School library for the equity assignment. I have eaten here before, and was looking forward to trying the western food stall again (and of course. anything is better than Summit food). But another stall caught my eye – I saw a franchise of one of my favourite restaurants, Cafe Le Caire (operating in Arab Street). It can’t be, I think… a franchise like that would cost about 6 bucks per me– wait, do mine eyes deceive me? Does nothing in this cost more than 3 bucks? Is the signboard playing tricks on me? Turns out it was true, and I was made a very happy woman after eating a shish kebab sandwich (the proportions are fairly okay) for 2.50.

And just yesterday, I had bought a set of Hana Maki (salmon-wrapped rice with a dollop on mayo and salmon roe on top) for 2.50 at the Japanese restaurant in Yusof Ishak House (which would have cost upwards of 5 bucks at normal restaurants), freshly prepared on the spot. I am still standing after eating it (no stomach troubles or whatever), so clearly quality isn’t what they are skimping on.

So, really, what is causing the food at Summit to suck so much? And cost more than the gems I’ve mentioned here?