Desmond Choo leads poll for Aware's first 'sexism' award
Singapore will have its first sexism awards to "honour" the person or organisation that has done the greatest disservice to gender equality.
Given out by the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware), the sexism award, also known as the Alamak Award, has five nominees, who were chosen by the public on Aware's website over a six-week period that started in August.
The five nominees are: Desmond Choo of the People's Action Party (PAP), the Singapore Obedient Wives Club, Singapore Airlines, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and insurance company Great Eastern.
An online poll to choose the "winner" of the award started last Tuesday and so far Choo is in the lead, with 56 per cent of the 647 votes cast for him.
Choo, who contested in Hougang as the PAP candidate in the general election, was criticised for being sexist after he recounted in his maiden rally speech a meeting with a resident who told him that choosing an MP is like choosing a wife.
"If your wife is unable to cook, there's no point. You must choose a wife who is able to look after you and do things for you," the resident had told him.
In response to the nomination, Choo told The Straits Times that he had always believed in gender equality. He also said that his comments in the speech were taken out of context and were not meant to be sexist.
The Obedient Wives Club trails behind Choo with 33 per cent of the votes. The poll ends on 7 October.
The proposal to set up the club in Singapore after one was started in Malaysia drew public criticism for its encouragement of women to submit to their husbands and to meet their sexual needs.
The award will be given out 17 October during Aware's fundraising dinner to celebrate its 26th anniversary.
Aware's executive director, Corinna Lim, said people often wrote to them to complain about sexist ads or remarks, and thought the awards would be a fun way to highlight examples of sexism.
"'It is a great way to raise public awareness and discussion about sexist attitudes," she told ST.
On a more serious note, Aware will be giving out three other awards -- Heroine, Hero and Young Wonder -- to recognise the significant contributions of those who have forwarded the gender equality cause.
Halimah Yacob, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, and opposition politician Nicole Seah are among the list of nominees who were chosen by the public and Aware members.
A panel of judges, which includes ambassador-at-large Tommy Koh and playwright Eleanor Wong, will be choosing the three winners.
Aware hopes to raise $200,000 through the dinner to fund its programmes and services. The gala tickets are priced at $250, and most of the 350 seats have been taken up.
