Pkchukiss – Reality Wine

I cannot say that I truly support what’s going on at AWARE: a hostile take-over of an activist organisation for the welfare of women would, by all rights be none of my business. I’m after all just a guy.

However, as a Singaporean, I’m extremely interested in the developments right now, because of its significance for democracy at work.

The new executive committee of AWARE was legally voted in by a majority at the last annual general meeting, yet there’s a general outcry of discontent by both the old EXCO, as well as many members of the public. Ordinary members of the organisation are saying that they disagree with the way the new committee secured power, and they are coming together to pass a vote of non-confidence in an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting on 2 May 2009.

You can find more information at a website built specially for this: www.we-are-aware.sg

Mr Wang says that the new committee gained power is similar to the PAP’s gerrymandering during elections time. I, like him, also believe that the new committee has come to the plate without a clear agenda, nor even with an indication that they hold the same ideals as AWARE has.

Already, there are certain rumours that the new committee has an anti-alternative lifestyle stance.

Taking over an established organisation in order to further your goals, especially if your own aims are in direct conflict with the organisation’s goals is not only socially reprehensible, but also irresponsible. Whereas they are legally elected in the eyes of the law, their actions have serious repercussions for the organisations themselves — internal strife arises when the opposing factions go to war with each other, and this in-fighting leaves the organisation with no clear direction, just like two horses tugging a cart in two directly opposite directions.

Now what does this do for democracy? I believe that the democratic process allows for the election of officials through a majority vote. However, the true test for all democracies come at times like what AWARE is facing currently: when power-grabbers whom do not have the mandate of the entire organisation manage to seize power. The litmus test is the recovery process. All members of the organisation may rise up and organise an extra-ordinary general meeting in order to pass motions of non-confidence on office holders whom are incompetent, or by a fluke manage to gain power just like in AWARE.

I’m not sure how the process at AWARE will go, but in the political arena, governments must either resign, or gain a new motion of confidence in order to continue holding office after a non-confidence vote has been passed by parliaments. This demonstrates one of the series of checks and balances a healthy democracy has to remove governments that are incompetent, immorally elected, or have ideals inconsistent with the country’s ideals.

The government gains a mandate to govern from its constituents. The mandate can just as easily be revoked by the citizens. This is true people power.

Filed under: General