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22 Oct 2019
National Arts Council
Suggestion View - 1
Rework Cultural Medallion, establish proper art archive

I came away more than a little surprised from reading senior culture correspondent Ong Sor Fern's expose on the Cultural Medallion (Too little, too late: Is the prize still relevant?, Oct 15) and the response by the National Arts Council (Award a big boost to S'pore artists, Oct 18). The most prestigious arts accolade in Singapore does not come with prize money, but access to the Cultural Medallion Fund, which recipients can draw upon to further their art through creation, present......



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22 Oct 2019
Ministry of Health
Reply View - 2
Central updating system for patients being worked on

We thank Ms Margaret Lee Kim Gek for her letter (Have efficient way to update address change with healthcare providers, Oct 17). The Ministry of Health (MOH) agrees that patients should be able to update their residential or contact addresses conveniently through a one-stop platform. The One-Stop Change of Address Reporting Service (Oscars) is a service for participating government agencies such as ministries and statutory boards to receive updated addresses of NRIC......



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22 Oct 2019
Ministry of Health
Reply View - 1
Regulators must ensure insurance companies abide by LIA clarification

We refer to The Straits Times' senior health correspondent Salma Khalik's article (Doctors say insurers' form asks for too much patient info, Oct 19). Despite several rounds of correspondence with the Life Insurance Association (LIA) over several months, the Singapore Medical Association (SMA) was unable to obtain any assurance from it that the information would not be used for other purposes such as creating a medical case profile of a patient. So we welcome the re......



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21 Oct 2019
Climate Change
Suggestion View - 3
Forum: Equatorial nations must overcompensate for rising sea levels

The faster-than-expected rise in sea levels comes as no surprise as we have witnessed the sea fill the roads in Nicoll Drive and Kallang in the past (Shoring up Singapore's coastlines as sea levels rise faster than expected, Oct 12). Indeed, being at the Equator, Singapore is especially vulnerable to rising tides. Much ha......



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21 Oct 2019
Ministry of Health
Suggestion View - 2
Forum: Sweet drinks may be hard habit to break

Singapore will become the first country to ban advertisements of packaged drinks with high sugar content, in its ongoing war against diabetes. While banning such ads may reduce sugar consumption slightly, it is unlikely to result in a significant change as the brands are already well known here. Moreover, these high-sugar drinks are available almost everywhere. The habit of consuming sweet drinks is ingrained in many people even though they are aware of the consequences. T......



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21 Oct 2019
Ministry of Manpower
Suggestion View - 3
Forum: To boost efficiency, be more open to skilled foreign workers

The issue of improving efficiency in Singapore needs adequate solutions (What happened to Singapore's efficiency?, Voices of Youth, June 24), and one answer is to open doors to skilled foreign workers. There is antagonism towards skilled foreign workers in Singapore. To increase productivity, the workforce needs to either achieve higher standards of capabilities or op......



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19 Oct 2019
Police
Feedback View - 20
Massage parlours in heartland are staying open till late

Under the Massage Establishment Act, which came into force last year, massage parlours in Housing Board estates are to close by 10.30pm every day. But I have observed that many massage establishments in the heartland do not adhere to this regulation - especially some that are within 200m of residential blocks. Some areas where this can be seen happening are West Coast Drive, Clementi and Jurong. The massage establishments in these places are close to residential blo......



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19 Oct 2019
National Environment Agency
Reply View - 1
NEA working at consistent recycling messaging

We agree with Ms Renee Tay that greater consistency in messaging on recycling will encourage more people to recycle, and to do it correctly (Be clear about what items can or cannot be recycled, Oct 12). About 40 per cent of what goes into the blue recycling bins cannot be recycled, either because the materials are not recyclable or have been contaminated by food or liquids. The #RecycleRight campaign was launched this year to improve awareness of recycling. The main......



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19 Oct 2019
PAP
Reply View - 1
Elections committee does not select candidates for president

I refer to the commentary by The Straits Times' opinion editor Chua Mui Hoong (PAP and the politics of dominance, Oct 13). It states: "The presidency is directly elected, but the Government has influence over the selection of candidates via the Presidential Elections Committee." This statement is incorrect and gives the wrong impression of how the Presidential Elections Committee (PEC) functions. First, the PEC does not select candidates. Its mandate ......



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18 Oct 2019
SCDF
Suggestion View - 5
Bad behaviour: Don't ignore the positives

Giving way to ambulances is mandated by law. Are there no cameras on ambulances for enforcement purposes (Motorists continue to impede emergency vehicles, Oct 16)? If ambulance drivers have been making reports of motorists blocking their way in gridlocked carparks to the Singapore Civil Defence Force and this is still happening, it means SCDF is not doing its part. If ambulance drivers have not been reporting such obstructions, then they are failing in their duty. I......



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18 Oct 2019
Ministry of Transport
Reply View - 4
Direct engagement aimed at providing tailored support

We thank Ms Ong Seok Khim for her suggestion (Why not dispense help directly?, Oct 11 ). The Public Transport Voucher application process allows us to directly engage and better ascertain households' needs. It helps us better understand their challenges, so that we can provide more tailored support that extends beyond the vouchers. We agree that it is important to raise awareness. In addition to media announcements, the Ministry of Transport works closely with the P......



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18 Oct 2019
National Arts Council
Reply View - 2
Award a big boost to S'pore artists

We thank Senior Culture Correspondent Ong Sor Fern for her views (Too little, too late: Is the prize still relevant?, Oct 15). For 40 years, the Cultural Medallion (CM) has honoured our nation's artists at the pinnacle of their careers. CM recipients can tap an $80,000 fund to create, present or document their art, and about half of the 126 recipients have done so. They include writer KTM Iqbal and musician Margaret Leng Tan. Others, such as artist Ch......



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17 Oct 2019
Out of the box
Feedback View - 213
My secret for a successful weight loss program

I lost 10 kg in 4 months. From a BMI of 29.3 (rated as obese), I reduced to 2.45 (rated as normal). My friend said that I achieved it through "determination". In reality, I have not changed my character. The primary driving force is explained by two words starting with M & E. These two words are "measurement" and "equipment". The measurement happened after I bought a smart weighing scale which measures not only the weight but many other indicators. They are summ......



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17 Oct 2019
Lazada
Feedback View - 222
A big hassle to report a non-delivery

I wish to describe a troublesome process adopted by Lazada and the unreliable service and poor process of Sing Post.  I mentioned Lee HL because he is the source of the dysfunction system adopted in Singapore, aggravated by PDPA. I ordered a rainbow teddy bear toy for my grand daughter. I received an email on 2 Oct that the parcel has been sent by Sing Post. There was no tracking number.  It was not delivered for more than a week. I sent a message to the se......



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17 Oct 2019
Privacy and Data Protection Act
Feedback View - 216
A bad law that cause a lot of damage

The PDPA is a bad law that has caused a lot of damage to our economy and daily life. It was originally passed to protect consumers from being harassed by marketeers who call their mobile phones or sent unwanted SMS to these phones. It did not achieve this goal which was the rationale for its existence. Consumers continue to get these unwanted calls and SMS. Complaints to the PDPA agency were ineffective.  Instead of doing good, it has caused a lo......



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17 Oct 2019
Ministry of Health
Feedback View - 9
Have efficient way to update address change with healthcare providers

I am about to move to a new home, and dutifully updated my address at a police post. I was told that participating government agencies and statutory boards would be automatically notified of my new address via the One-Stop Change of Address Reporting Service, and that the list of participating agencies is available on the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority's website. I am proud of this efficiency, which is part of what makes Singapore such a liveable city. Howeve......



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17 Oct 2019
Singapore Sports Council
Feedback View - 3
Ticketing fiasco reflects badly on Sports Hub

Sport Singapore chief executive officer Lim Teck Yin said: "Vision 2030 was launched with the belief that sport will have an increasingly significant role to play in nation building and Singapore's future." (Kallang set to come alive with velodrome, youth hub in the works, ST Online, Aug 6) This future looks dismal, judging by the poor turnout at the recent Brazil Global Tour games, and the accompanying ticketing fiasco at the Singapore Sports Hub. Organisers must h......



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17 Oct 2019
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Reply View - 1
Pre-schools required to explain fees, charges to parents

We agree with Mr Cheng Choon Fei on the importance of transparency (Drill down to extras charged by pre-schools, Oct 7). The Government requires all pre-school centres to make fees and charges transparent to parents, under the Early Childhood Development Centres Act and Regulations. The regulations guide parents and centres on their rights and obligations. All operators are required to explain their fees and charges to parents, prior to a child's enrolment. Operator......



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17 Oct 2019
Land Transport Authority
Reply View - 4
LTA exploring ways to maximise non-fare revenue from ads, retail

We thank Mr Joe Chua Cheok Kwang for his letter (MRT advertising space not maximised, Oct 11). In ensuring the financial sustainability of our public transport network, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is exploring ways to maximise non-fare revenue, for example, through revenue generated by MRT advertising and retail businesses. In August, we outsourced the rail advertising and retail business for the first time for the upcoming Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL).br /......



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16 Oct 2019
PUB
Feedback View - 232
Wrong meter reading led to high surcharge

My normal consumption was about 40 to 45 cu meters every month. In September, PUB billed me for 90 cu meters of consumption. The bill was very high as I probably had to pay a surcharge for the excessive consumption. I checked the meter reading for September shown in the bill against the water meter. It appeared to be correct. I engaged a plumber to check if there was a leakage in the pipe system. There was none.br data-text="true" ......



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16 Oct 2019
Land Transport Authority
Feedback View - 3
Food delivery firms should employ only licensed motorcyclists

Long before the three major food delivery firms - GrabFood, Foodpanda and Deliveroo - entered the scene, fast-food outlets such as McDonald's, KFC and Pizza Hut were already delivering food around the island. However, the big difference is that the fast-food chains employed only licensed motorcyclists who had taken a Highway Code test and riding test, and had third-party insurance coverage, before they were allowed on the roads. This is not so in the case of food de......



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16 Oct 2019
SCDF
Suggestion View - 1
Motorists continue to impede emergency vehicles

I live in a mature Housing Board estate overlooking an open-air carpark. Last Saturday at about 11am, I witnessed the selfishness of Singaporean motorists first-hand. A Singapore Civil Defence Force Hope ambulance entered the carpark. I heard its siren wailing long before it reached my block. In the carpark, cars were waiting for parking spaces next to double-yellow lines, and other vehicles were waiting for those in front of them to move. A few impat......



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16 Oct 2019
National Environment Agency
Reply View - 1
Several factors determine location, development timeline of hawker centres

We thank Mr Loong Chik Tong for his letter (Long wait for hawker centre, Oct 7). Several factors drive the location and timeline for hawker centre development. Besides current population of the town, other factors include the availability of sites for development, existing food options and projected population growth of the town. As our community dining rooms, sites for hawker centres should ideally also offer convenient access, such as being near to ......



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16 Oct 2019
Singapore Zoo
Reply View - 1
Range of zoo ticketing options available for kids throughout year

We thank Madam Angie Koh for her compliment and appreciate her feedback (Lower zoo entry fee for young kids, Oct 11). While we review her suggestion, we would also like to share that a range of ticketing options is available for pre-school children throughout the year. Subsidised rates are extended to schools and education groups that cater to children aged three years and above. Also, seasonal promotions are rolled out and special discounts extended ......



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16 Oct 2019
Movement for change
Suggestion View - 192
Are we paying too much to outsource the bus operations

In recent years, the government collects the revenue from the bus operations and tenders out the operations to the bus operators.  This is supposed to be a good system to keep the cost of operations low through competition, but there is a risk that this system could be badly managed.  I share my views. The Land Transport Authority incurred a loss of $1 billion from the bus contracts. This means that the cost of the operations exceed ......



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15 Oct 2019
Land Transport Authority
Feedback View - 7
Ban commuters from uploading videos of disputes with drivers

It should be illegal for passengers of private-hire cars and taxis to upload videos of altercations with their drivers. Though such videos could serve as evidence in legitimate cases, unreasonable passengers may upload such videos with the intention of shaming the drivers. A recent altercation was recorded by a passenger and the video uploaded online on Wednesday. In it, the passenger is seen arguing with the taxi driver because he did not take her pr......



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15 Oct 2019
Ministry of Defense
Feedback View - 1
Letting pre-enlistees use Safra gyms may cause overcrowding

The Pre-Enlistees Exercise Programme for National Service (Prep4NS) should be reviewed further before it is implemented (Pre-enlistees for NS get free access to 6 Safra gyms, Oct 4), to ensure that public money is well spent, and that the programme does not come at the expense of existing EnergyOne gym members. Since the programme is free, pre-enlistees may apply for it but not turn up at the gym. Are there any conditions that pre-enlistees have to meet, such as a m......



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15 Oct 2019
Insurance
Reply View - 1
Mental illness - No insurance application rejected outright

We thank Dr Desmond Wai for his letter (Patients with mental illnesses face insurance obstacles, Oct 10) and agree with a number of the points made. A multi-pronged approach to treatment is needed in order to help patients suffering from mental illnesses in conjunction with other medical problems. Life insurers have introduced various forms of coverage for mental illness, including Integrated Shield Plans (IPs), Critical Illness policies that provide coverage for me......



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14 Oct 2019
Movement for change
Suggestion View - 237
A more efficient way to handle job interview

My friend migrated to Canada. He applied for a job as a software developer. There is a big demand for this skill in Canada. He told me that their process is different from Singapore. They take the following steps.  a) The recruiter telephone the applicant and have a phone interview.  b) The applicant has to do some coding assessment online. c) The applicant is then invited for a site interview. I remarked that this is a more ef......



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14 Oct 2019
EZ Link
Suggestion View - 191
EZ Link should improve its customer service

I sent a feedback to EZ Link on 30 September: Dear Ez Link I download the app and tried to read my Senior Citizen card. I got a message that it cannot read my card. This deficiency has been around for more than a decade. Why can't you read the senior citizen card? After all, it is just another special kind of Ez Link card.  If you do not allow me to read the card, how can I read it? How can I monitor my tran......



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