This is the first time a woman NGO has taken the fight to public. As the beans spilled, it becomes more intrigue. The ruse has even got the attention of ministers to attempt to diffuse the potentially explosive nature of this dispute. The social issues in question may boil over and may inadvertently get entangled with religion. As the newspapers were inundated with differing views from both sides during press conferences, it seems that both sides a heading for ugly ending.
At the centre of the dispute is a new group of members, who joined recently, passionately believe that AWARE is going in the wrong direction. The intent is to right the wrong, to steer away from principles that they righteously believe must be discarded. Technically, no one can fault the election process. The new group of ex-co members were legally elected through legitimate democratic process. Most of the old ex-co members were ousted.
In my views, such manoeuvres are common in temples, en-bloc sales, Chinese clans, associations, country clubs and workers' unions committees. But why has this saga generated so much controversy and attention?
Perhaps, it’s a women organisation and it is the first dispute that has gone public. Many past presidents and office bearers are high profile personalities and professional women. Both camps have also try to use the media to its advantages without realising that the media cut both ways.
More obvious reason to me is the way in which the new committee, comprising of a group of likeminded women with same religious affiliation under the same mentor, has position themselves to oust the incumbents. Such action has induced a negative public perception. It seems like a cloak and dagger operation, covertly and stealthily crept in from nowhere. Surely this will invited a lot of cynicism and suspicion. Although most people don’t doubt the good intent of this group, after all, it is voluntary and thankless work. The speed at which it starts to rock the boat has cause disquiet among the old guards. I can see the methods employed. Its typical corporate manoeuvres like ‘hire and fire’, ‘restructure the organisation’ and ‘remake the image of the organisation’. It looks like a military mopping up operation, clearing all the landmines and bobby traps. All the actions taken so far are similar in style with corporate management techniques. Unfortunately, such management style may be ill suited for a social organisation like AWARE. It has definitely breeds dissent.
The new group has grossly miscalculated. It has forgotten to factor in that this is a non profit organisation. It’s about managing people and its expectations, managing social issues and most important of all, managing public perception and it is not managing profits like a corporation. I would say it’s is naivety and outright arrogance on them that cause this to boil. However strong their personal beliefs or faith are, they must remember that we are living in a multiracial and multi-religious country. And because they have the same religious affiliation and are women holding senior positions in working life, they must show greater wisdom and sensitivity. Coming under the same mentorship, they have placed themselves in an awkward position to dispel the suspicion that they are working for a particular faith. It allows opportunists to criticise them for the lack of religious sensitivity. What’s more, in the public eyes, they lack graciousness and magnanimity to pay tribute and compliment to the past office bearers who had volunteered their times to serve the community. In another word, they have a brilliant plan to win but don’t have a comprehensive plan to manage the winning.
As the dispute boils over, the group could not contain their eagerness to make its points in public. But they have forgotten that the old guards have contributed 25 years of work, be it good or bad is subjective. The new guard has no achievement to put on table except their wish to clean the organisation of unhealthy acts. Under the circumstances, this is tantamount to washing dirty linen in public. This has definitely backfire on them as it is unable to convince the public the nobleness of its vision for AWARE. The failure to win public acceptance to me has put them in an untenable position.
The honourable thing for the newly elected exco is to resign and allows a cooling off period and let AWARE members decide how to move ahead. And if they feel strongly about the issues, there are many forums for them to advance the issues that are close to their belief and faith.
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