EXPECT Singapore's leading feminist group to be more vigilant and less trusting from here on.

'We will not take anything for granted any more,' said Ms Dana Lam, 56, who was elected new president of the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) on Saturday night, at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM).

Top of its list of priorities is plugging constitutional loopholes to prevent strangers from seizing control of the 25-year-old women's group.

That was exactly what happened when a large group of new members elected a team of unknowns into power at Aware's annual general meeting on March 28.

Aware stalwarts overturned that on Saturday and won back control, with members on both sides playing by the rules of the organisation.

Aware is considering introducing the requirement that anyone who wants to stand for elections must have been a member for at least a year. Most of the women seized power in March had joined only in recent months, and the rules allowed them to run for office.

'We need to look into a system which can allow us to screen potential trouble-makers but we have to be careful not to become too exclusionary,' she said.

The vigilance is necessary, said Ms Lam, a past president of Aware. 'It's like we left our back door open and people came in to take our things.'

The tumultuous events of recent weeks have changed Aware, which had operated for years on trust, allowing anyone to join in the spirit of inclusiveness.

But much good has also come out of the recent upheaval, said Ms Lam, citing the surge of support and a large number of new members who want to help.

'Suddenly we have people congratulating us for winning back Aware, and telling us how much Aware had done,' she said.

'Did you see the number of people who lined up to speak on behalf of Aware at the EGM? Did you see how articulate they were? If we could harness just half of that energy and commitment, we would have a much livelier Aware.'

She was also gratified by the number of young people who rallied members after the old guard lost control of Aware.

'They set up a website within two days to update supporters on what was happening, rallied people to defend the values that we stand for,' she said.

'On the day of the EGM, they mobilised 70 volunteers to help. They distributed flowers, offered drinks and sandwiches, and all these they did on their own. They really brought out the nature of Aware, and took it further.

'That's the promise of renewal staring us in the face.'

Ms Lam, a part-time lecturer and mother of two, said the old guard decided she should take up the presidency again.

'It's a real privilege especially after seeing how passionately people defended us,' she said.

But the work ahead will not be easy, she conceded.

To begin with, her team must contend with the biggest membership in Aware's 25-year history.

It now has 3,000 members, with more than 2,500 signing up in the days leading to the EGM. At its height in 1998, Aware membership stood at around 700.

Ms Lam's team also knows that the membership now includes several hundred who supported the ousted team of Ms Josie Lau, and many of them believed that Aware had been promoting lesbianism and homosexuality and needed to be set right.

After stepping down on Saturday night, Ms Lau and her team said that they would remain in Aware and offered to be volunteers from here on.

For Ms Lam and her team, it will mean practising the 'inclusiveness' they have been preaching all this time.

She said: 'We are an organisation dedicated to supporting and promoting positive change for women to get ahead in life. By this, we mean equipping women with the information, training and opportunities to have control over their lives.'

'We have never deviated from this. And after what has happened, people are even clearer about what we stand for.'

As for whether she would take up the offer of Ms Lau and her team to help, she said: 'They are welcome to participate in our programmes, like any other members.'

What of Aware's comprehensive sexuality programme, which came under heavy fire from 'feminist mentor' Thio Su Mien, who alleged that it promoted lesbianism and homosexuality and prompted complaints to the Education Ministry?

Ms Lam said: 'We are standing by our programme. Having said that, there is no harm in looking at it and find out why certain things are making people feel uncomfortable.'

While the old guard are pleased to have won back Aware, she revealed that they are not gloating. In fact, they went to Suntec City prepared to be defeated.

And what if they had lost?

Ms Lam let on: 'We thought of a couple of scenarios. One was to set up a new organisation.'

In the end, it did not come to that.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.