Did Civil Society really win?

AWARE EGM

Letter from Cheong Hui Hui

I ATTENDED the Aware EGM on Saturday. I am not anti-gay but as a parent, I am concerned about what is being taught to our children in school. I had hoped to hear both sides to obtain a more balanced view of the situation.

However, what I witnessed disturbed me. I was saddened by the behaviour of the Old Guard and their supporters. The new exco were not able to give answers. Supporters of the Old Guard made sure of that by continually jeering and booing every time they attempted to answer a question. I suspect this was the main reason why the new exco and their supporters were hardly able to make their views known or heard throughout the proceedings.

The Old Guard have indeed taken back the society through winning of the vote of no confidence but they did not achieve it in the civilised manner I was expecting. I left the EGM more confused and disturbed, experiencing "emotions" from one fraction and suppressed silence from the other. I could not connect to Aware's claim to be a friend to the needy and poor, or the voice of the women.

From TODAY, Voices – Tuesday, 05-May-2009