Skip Navigation Links

Latest

08 Dec 2019
Land Transport Authority
Suggestion View - 82
A more sensible way to name our roads

The naming of our roads in the new housing estates of Sengkang and Punggol is quite ridiculous. Take a look at the map below. Here are some of the faults: a) There is no logical order b) There is no respect for hierarchy, with the name Street, Way, Avenue, Road used for roads of similar sizes. What is a better system?  We can follow the approach adopted in many cities. They gave a different name to major road and n......



View full post
08 Dec 2019
Ministry of Law
Feedback View - 34
Prefer to go to jail

My friend told me. A few years ago, he went to jail for a few weeks because he refused to pay a traffic fine of a few thousand dollars. He said that being jailed for a traffic offense is NOT a criminal offense, so there is no criminal record. In the jail, he met another prisoner who had been in jail off and on for several years. The long term prisoner related his personal circumstance. He come from a large family. He has been jobless. He committed an offense and spent some......



View full post
08 Dec 2019
NTUC
Suggestion View - 2
NEA guidelines for cleaning table tops not being followed

The National Environment Agency (NEA) has guidelines on cleaning table tops at retail food and beverage premises. However, I have noticed that these guidelines are not practised at hawker centres, coffee shops and even the foodcourts operated by major players. For example, the guidelines suggest that two different cloths should be used for cleaning and sanitising. But in practice, I see cleaners using the same dirty cloth for multiple tables and have never seen sani......



View full post
08 Dec 2019
Ministry of Environment
Feedback View - 2
Divert savings from Cross Island Line to local conservation efforts

The Ministry of Transport's decision for the MRT Cross Island Line (CRL) to run directly under Singapore's largest nature reserve is unfortunate (Cross Island Line to take direct route under nature reserve, Dec 5). Although the plan has come a long way after six years of consultation with experts and nature groups, it still ignores the fundamental sanctity of a nature reserve. This sets a worrying precedent of development being prioritised over the protection of nat......



View full post
06 Dec 2019
Housing Development Board
Suggestion View - 3
HDB should leverage tech for more efficient use of carparks

With the majority of Housing Board multi-storey carparks now employing electronic payment collection systems, the HDB should have a wealth of information about carpark utilisation at various times of the day. Yet it still persists with blanket rules regarding the use of reserved parking spaces, such as disallowing casual parking after 7pm on weekdays and for the whole day during the weekend. I have, on numerous occasions, driven past countless empty reserved spaces ......



View full post
06 Dec 2019
Singapore Sports Council
Reply View - 1
Options for squash facilities being studied

We refer to Mr Lim Jit Uei's letter (Kallang Squash Centre worth saving, Nov 29). Under the Sports Facilities Master Plan, we take into account the needs of our national sports associations and the overall trends in the sporting landscape. We have been engaging the Singapore Squash Rackets Association since January last year on the provision of squash facilities. We have shared some options with them while studying the feasibility of each. We will announce the plans......



View full post
05 Dec 2019
Singaporeans
Suggestion View - 3
Be realistic about public transport improvements

https://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-on-the-web/forum-allow-pmds-other-than-e-scooters-on-footpaths-and-monitor-them-forAt just 19, Ms Suu Waddy Soe is a realist when she said a world-class transport system "comes with a heavy price tag" (Voices Of Youth: The price of better public transport, Dec 2). It is heartening to hear some realism from this youth writer. In comparison, Mr Andrew Seow Chwee Guan asked for the gap between the shelter and the bus at bus st......



View full post
05 Dec 2019
Land Transport Authority
Suggestion View - 2
Allow PMDs other than e-scooters on footpaths and monitor them for six months

The recent and sudden ban of e-scooters on footpaths has put a dent in Singapore's car-lite vision. Another group of users of personal mobility devices (PMDs) - skateboards, hoverboards and unicycles - will also be affected by the footpath ban by the first quarter of next year. The fact that the ban was imposed on e-scooters first means the safety problem faced by the public was due mainly to the e-scooter community rather than skateboard, hoverboard and unicycle us......



View full post
05 Dec 2019
Consumers Association Of Singapore
Reply View - 2
Misleading advertisements can be removed

We thank Mr Cheng Choon Fei for his letter (Protect buyers from misleading ads and offers, Dec 2). Advertisements are regulated by the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice (Scap) administered by the Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore (Asas). Under Scap, advertisements should not mislead consumers by omitting material information, or by being inaccurate or untruthful, whether in pricing or promotions. If an advertisement is found to be in b......



View full post
04 Dec 2019
Migrating to other countries
Feedback View - 7
Working in Canada

My friend migrated to Canada after working for ten years as a permanent resident in Singapore. I asked him to share his experience about working in the new environment Hi Mr. Tan After working here for like two weeks plus, maybe I will say that things tend to move not as fast as Singapore. I can leave office at 5pm (and most do) - nobody bats an eye. People very rarely have to work at home (as in OT). And, if you have......



View full post
04 Dec 2019
Migrating to other countries
Feedback View - 73
Migrating to Canada

My sister's classmate migrated to Canada 25 years ago. She obtained her citizenship after two years. She is now a pensioner and receive $1,600 a month from the state. She supplemented the income by taking international students as tenants and provide food for the students. She said that Canada has a good system of ensuring that all workers have the required skills. Those in the food industry have to get a certificate on food hygiene and safety. There are a few skills that are usef......



View full post
04 Dec 2019
M1
Feedback View - 1
Telco could not explain how charges were incurred

My October phone bill showed that I had been charged for sending global text messages as well as for exceeding my data limit. As I hardly send text messages to anyone, let alone global text messages, I called M1's customer service to ask which country or number the text messages had been sent to. There was no record of any overseas text message on my end. The customer service officer told me that he could not tell which country, but said the charge was valid. If I w......



View full post
04 Dec 2019
Sing Tel
Negative View - 2
Singtel downplaying system error and erroneous charge

I frequently travel to other parts of Asia and have been using Singtel's services for years. In my bill for the last two months, I was erroneously charged $100 for data roaming. I called to ask why I was charged despite having subscribed to a roaming package before I travelled. The Singtel customer service officer told me the company was aware of the issue, that it had received a lot of customer feedback on this, and that the problem was caused by a system error that day. ......



View full post
04 Dec 2019
Health Promotion Board
Feedback View - 2
Don't let people cheat with Healthy 365 app

When a person chooses healthier food and beverage options at Kopitiam foodcourts and hawker centres, or buys healthier groceries at Giant, FairPrice and Sheng Siong supermarkets, he is rewarded with a printed barcode that he can scan into the Healthy 365 app for points that can be exchanged for TransitLink vouchers, wildlife tours and cakes. However, people who are not interested in, or forget to collect, the printed barcodes leave them behind. I have observed cashiers taking thes......



View full post
04 Dec 2019
Monetary Authority of Singapore
Feedback View - 168
Expiry of NETS Flash card

Someone complained to me that his money in the NETS flash card was confiscated on the expiry of the card. He send to me a copy of the letter from NETS explaining that the card is valid for 7 years and the owner is allowed another two years to claim a refund of the unused balance. This is stated in the "terms and conditions" on the website. I do not understand why there is a need to have an expiry date for the NETS card.  I checked and found that ......



View full post
04 Dec 2019
Out of the box
Suggestion View - 250
Tips on speculative investing

A reader was impressed with the profit that I achieved on my speculative portfolio. He asked if I can give a talk on investing. He will be interested to attend. He had invested before, and lost money on stocks. I wish to share some tips.  a) My positive investment result is largely based on luck. I made profits on two investments, namely Country Garden and Tesla. In both cases, I bought the shares after they have fallen more than 40% from their recent peak. I w......



View full post
04 Dec 2019
Monetary Authority of Singapore
Suggestion View - 165
How to make private insurance good for the people

Private insurance can be good and can be bad for the people. This is how to tell the difference. Private insurance is bad when it is: a) Run to make the maximum profit for the insurance company. b) Not properly supervised by the government c) Results in many rejected claims and disputes Private insurance is good when it is: a) Takes over a risk that cannot be managed well by the consumers b) Is run ef......



View full post
03 Dec 2019
Ministry of Health
Suggestion View - 392
Eldershield Life is a bad idea

The govt requires all CPF members to buy Eldershield Life to provide payment of $300 or $400 when they are severely disabled and need to have nursing care. Even Singaporeans who work overseas are required to buy this compulsory insurance on the assumption that they will return to live in Singapore during their old age. This is a bad approach. Why? a) The premium for this compulsory insurance is high, relative to the actual claims. The i......



View full post
03 Dec 2019
Infocomm Media Dev Agency (IMDA)
Suggestion View - 1
Have a 3-digit hotline for mental health emergencies

Much has been published in the media about mental health awareness and suicide prevention. The suicide rate in Singapore has been rising. Each life lost to suicide leaves behind family and friends who struggle to cope with grief and loss, as well as guilt. Thoughts of suicide may afflict anyone, the young and the old, the person next door and even K-pop celebrities. While family and friends usually form the core of one's support system, a desperate person may also t......



View full post
03 Dec 2019
Ministry of Education
Feedback View - 2
My parents skimped to pay my school fees

I hope the Ministry of Education (MOE) sticks to its longstanding practice to withhold original Primary School Leaving Examination results slips due to unpaid school fees in spite of the outcry from netizens and political activists capitalising on the situation. In fact, MOE was gracious to have given the photocopy of the results slip to the child. Let it be clear that it is the parents, who knew that school fees have to be paid, who inflicted shame on the child, an......



View full post
03 Dec 2019
NTUC
Reply View - 1
Reusable bags most effective way to reduce plastic waste

We thank Mr Paul Chan and Miss Neo Jia En for their feedback on the "No Plastic Bag" initiative (Cutting plastic use: Retailers should make the move; and FairPrice's explanation not convincing, both Nov 28). Mr Chan had earlier raised the same suggestion on biodegradable bags which the National Environment Agency had replied to (NEA pushing for less use of disposables, Nov 1). The most sustainable approach towards plastic bag use is to avoid excessive consumption and instead use r......



View full post
03 Dec 2019
National Environment Agency
Reply View - 2
Seven of 20 hawker centres planned are already operating

We thank Mr Peh Chwee Hoe, Mr Neo Poh Goon and Mr Jeffrey Law for their letters (Changes to packed CBD hawker centres needed, Nov 22; More new hawker centres needed, Nov 25; and Too many malls, not enough hawker centres, Nov 28) The Government had earlier announced long-term plans to build 20 new hawker centres to be located in new estates, or existing estates that are relatively under-served. The timeline for hawker centre development is driven by various factors, such as the ava......



View full post
03 Dec 2019
Out of the box
Feedback View - 217
Will the ban on PMD using footpath cause loss of vote to PAP?

I believe that it will cause a net loss of vote to PAP. Here are my reasons. 75,000 people are affected by the ban. They include 7,000 food delivery riders, whose earnings are now badly affected by the ban. There are another 68,000 riders who bought a compliant PMD for $500 to $1,000 to be used to get to the bus stop, train station or their place of work. These riders are also affected by the ban. Many of them bought the PMD on installment. They have ......



View full post
02 Dec 2019
Land Transport Authority
Suggestion View - 90
Require PMD riders to pass a test

Many people want the govt to impose the ban on PMD using the footpaths because they cause accidents and injuries to pedestrians. However, the actual statistics from the hospitals show that a high proportion of the injuries are caused to the PMD riders, rather than the pedestrians. They are injured when they fall off the PMDs or crashed into the walls and other obstructions. It may be necessary to require the PMD riders to pa......



View full post
02 Dec 2019
Land Transport Authority
Suggestion View - 126
Flexible pricing for taxis lead to unsatisfactory outcome

I waited for a taxi at Harborfront Center at 6 pm. There was a long queue. I finally managed to get a taxi at 6.50 pm. It was a long wait. It was peak hours. There was a slight drizzle. This could have accounted for the long wait. When I was in Taipei earlier this month, I was able to get a taxi from the hotel during peak hours. I did not have to wait. There were plenty of taxis waiting for customers.  What is the special phenomena that caused th......



View full post
02 Dec 2019
Standard Chartered Bank
Feedback View - 2
StanChart marathon road closures could have been better handled

The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2019 took place for the first time in the evening on Saturday. I hope that there will be better measures put in place if this is not the last evening race. With the marathon came the inevitable road closures. The road closures extended from West Coast Highway all the way to East Coast Parkway, with many roads closed around the Central Business District and city centre - a much larger scale than the Formula 1 car-racing event......



View full post
02 Dec 2019
Land Transport Authority
Feedback View - 6
The price of better public transport

Bus and train fares will be increased on Dec 28. While this is unlikely to please the commuters, it is important to note that there should be a balance between the affordability of fares and profitability of public transport operators. Wanting better service but no fare increase is not realistic. Relying too much on government subsidies for public transport infrastructure is not sustainable, especially when the intended budget has been exceeded. Spend......



View full post
02 Dec 2019
Consumers Association Of Singapore
Feedback View - 5
Protect buyers from misleading ads and offers

It is always good to study promotional offers carefully before placing orders for meals or products (It's time for firms to be upfront in ads, please, Nov 24). For instance, one bank advertised a $15 discount for a minimum of $70 spent at an online retailer. I was about to complete the transaction when I noticed that the discount did not apply to the items I had selected. I cancelled the order. A restaurant I went to promoted a one-for-one meal offer. But a closer l......



View full post
30 Nov 2019
Ministry of Education
Suggestion View - 7
Make it easier for families to qualify for financial help

Many would find it befuddling that the Ministry of Education (MOE) would use "obligation to pay" as a reason not to issue an original Primary School Leaving Examination results slip (MOE clarifies why school withheld results slip, Nov 28). It is wrong to jump to the conclusion that because the family did not apply for financial assistance, they could actually afford to pay the fees. MOE should instead have tried to find out from the family concerned what their problem was. ......



View full post
30 Nov 2019
Ministry of Education
Negative View - 8
Receiving PSLE results a highlight for kids

The Ministry of Education (MOE) has really missed the forest for the trees (MOE clarifies why school withheld PSLE results slip, Nov 28). Holding back the original Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) results slip and handing the child a photocopy instead due to unpaid school fees is cruel. For these young pupils, the PSLE results day is momentous. MOE explained why it did what it did, but surely there are other ways to persuade these defaulting ......



View full post