Raise CPF savings with 50-year leases
THE fundamental problem with the current Central Provident Fund (CPF) scheme is that many people do not have sufficient savings for their retirement.
The solution is not to tweak the amount that a person can withdraw upon retirement, but to restrict the use of CPF so that sufficient money can be set aside for retirement.
One way is to modify our housing policy. The HDB can offer new flats with 50-year leases. This will lower the price of new flats significantly. At the same time, this is unlikely to affect the price of existing flats.
To prevent people from buying big flats that they can ill afford, the HDB can restrict the loan quantum.
Thomas Khoo Chung Chi (Dr)
Parent's letter
in lieu of MC?
I UNDERSTAND from my son's school that a medical certificate is mandatory for sick leave, and it will not accept letters from parents excusing their children from school ("Time to review conditions for paid sick leave" by Dr Leong Choon Kit; last Friday).
Since the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak in 2003, students have been told to avoid school if they are having fever.
A child with slight fever usually recovers with adequate fluid intake and rest. To visit a doctor just to obtain a medical certificate and medicine to relieve the symptoms is unnecessary and costly, especially since such medication is commonly stocked at home.
It would appear that a parent's letter lacks credibility, even if contact numbers are provided for verification purposes. Can the Ministry of Education clarify if this is the case?
Vicky Chong (Madam)
Make it easier to pay Malaysia traffic fines
IT IS only fair for Malaysia to get foreigners to settle their traffic fines ("Yet to pay up Malaysian traffic fine? Foreigners face arrest soon"; Dec 12).
However, it seems impossible for them to do so unless they enter Malaysia (possibly risking arrest in the future) and pay at a police station or post office, or via the MYEG website using a Malaysia-issued credit card (other cards are not accepted).
This may go some way towards explaining why there are more than 300,000 summonses for Singapore-registered vehicles still outstanding, and more than 4,500 arrest warrants issued against repeat offenders from Singapore.
Malaysia should find a way to make it easier for owners of foreign-registered vehicles to settle their fines online, such as by allowing the use of non-Malaysia-issued credit cards or by using a third-party payment system such as PayPal.
Oliver Houchin
Safe to use devices during take-off?
WHILE on board a flight to Thailand recently, I noticed some passengers using electronic devices while the plane was taking off and landing.
This was against the airline's safety regulations, which were repeated by the captain prior to take-off.
I brought this to the attention of the flight attendants, who then advised the passengers to switch off their devices.
It seemed that the flight attendants took the matter lightly. They did not stop the passengers from using the devices while doing their pre-flight and pre-landing checks.
If the use of electronic devices is no longer a safety issue, then the safety instructions and captain's announcement need to be updated. But if it does pose a danger, then cabin crew must enforce the rules.
Lim Pai Tong
Lack of drying facilities in condos
IN SINGAPORE, we have sunshine practically the whole year round, so it is unnecessary to use dryers to dry clothes, if not for the fact that many new condominiums do not come with laundry drying areas.
Many condo units come with large or multiple balconies, some of which could have been designed as utility yards instead.
Why aren't developers encouraged to include a small utility yard for drying laundry?
Dryers account for about $200 in electricity costs each year. Using the sun's heat to dry clothes can result in substantial savings for households.
Grace Phang Siew Yoong (Ms)
THE fundamental problem with the current Central Provident Fund (CPF) scheme is that many people do not have sufficient savings for their retirement.
The solution is not to tweak the amount that a person can withdraw upon retirement, but to restrict the use of CPF so that sufficient money can be set aside for retirement.
One way is to modify our housing policy. The HDB can offer new flats with 50-year leases. This will lower the price of new flats significantly. At the same time, this is unlikely to affect the price of existing flats.
To prevent people from buying big flats that they can ill afford, the HDB can restrict the loan quantum.
Thomas Khoo Chung Chi (Dr)
Parent's letter
in lieu of MC?
I UNDERSTAND from my son's school that a medical certificate is mandatory for sick leave, and it will not accept letters from parents excusing their children from school ("Time to review conditions for paid sick leave" by Dr Leong Choon Kit; last Friday).
Since the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak in 2003, students have been told to avoid school if they are having fever.
A child with slight fever usually recovers with adequate fluid intake and rest. To visit a doctor just to obtain a medical certificate and medicine to relieve the symptoms is unnecessary and costly, especially since such medication is commonly stocked at home.
It would appear that a parent's letter lacks credibility, even if contact numbers are provided for verification purposes. Can the Ministry of Education clarify if this is the case?
Vicky Chong (Madam)
Make it easier to pay Malaysia traffic fines
IT IS only fair for Malaysia to get foreigners to settle their traffic fines ("Yet to pay up Malaysian traffic fine? Foreigners face arrest soon"; Dec 12).
However, it seems impossible for them to do so unless they enter Malaysia (possibly risking arrest in the future) and pay at a police station or post office, or via the MYEG website using a Malaysia-issued credit card (other cards are not accepted).
This may go some way towards explaining why there are more than 300,000 summonses for Singapore-registered vehicles still outstanding, and more than 4,500 arrest warrants issued against repeat offenders from Singapore.
Malaysia should find a way to make it easier for owners of foreign-registered vehicles to settle their fines online, such as by allowing the use of non-Malaysia-issued credit cards or by using a third-party payment system such as PayPal.
Oliver Houchin
Safe to use devices during take-off?
WHILE on board a flight to Thailand recently, I noticed some passengers using electronic devices while the plane was taking off and landing.
This was against the airline's safety regulations, which were repeated by the captain prior to take-off.
I brought this to the attention of the flight attendants, who then advised the passengers to switch off their devices.
It seemed that the flight attendants took the matter lightly. They did not stop the passengers from using the devices while doing their pre-flight and pre-landing checks.
If the use of electronic devices is no longer a safety issue, then the safety instructions and captain's announcement need to be updated. But if it does pose a danger, then cabin crew must enforce the rules.
Lim Pai Tong
Lack of drying facilities in condos
IN SINGAPORE, we have sunshine practically the whole year round, so it is unnecessary to use dryers to dry clothes, if not for the fact that many new condominiums do not come with laundry drying areas.
Many condo units come with large or multiple balconies, some of which could have been designed as utility yards instead.
Why aren't developers encouraged to include a small utility yard for drying laundry?
Dryers account for about $200 in electricity costs each year. Using the sun's heat to dry clothes can result in substantial savings for households.
Grace Phang Siew Yoong (Ms)
