I REFER to Thursday's Forum comments by Ms Alicia Phua ('Give all who qualify a place in a local varsity').

ON MAY 3, my husband, a retired civil servant, and I went to the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) pharmacy to collect Glucosamine capsules prescribed to me by an SGH specialist doctor. We are entitled to civil service medical benefits.

IT HAS been two years since the smoking ban was implemented, but it seems smokers continue to light up in public places, much to the annoyance of non-smokers. On many occasions, I have spotted smokers lighting up at bus stops and in hawker centres.

I am still choking on the smoke of inconsiderate golfers who like to light up on driving ranges.

I WAS excited to learn that the Peranakan Museum is the first in the world to explore Peranakan culture in South-east Asia.

I WOULD like to ask the Media Development Authority when consumers will be able to watch free-to-air high-definition (HD) channels such as HD5. Due to the spat between MediaCorp and StarHub, StarHub subscribers cannot watch HD5 on the cable platform.

I REFER to Thursday's column, 'When acquittal is bitter-sweet'. It raises two intriguing issues: The first is compensation for accused persons who are acquitted and the second is the statement by a spokesman for the Attorney-General's Chambers that 'there is often confusion in the public mind regarding what an acquittal means' and that an acquittal 'does not mean the accused was innocent in the sense that he did not do the deed'.

I HAVE employed Sri Lankan maids for the past 30 years.

WE HAVE read much about the aim of the Ministry of Health to ensure people get appropriate health-care insurance so health-care needs, especially in old age, are sufficiently provided for. However, this all rest in the hands of a few private providers dominated by NTUC Income. There does not seem to be a body to regulate how these providers operate.

I REFER to the proposals for Internet freedom sent by a group of 13 bloggers to the Ministry of Information. Communications and the Arts ('Govt looking at lighter touch on the Net', Thursday).

LAST Thursday morning, on my way to work, I boarded the train at Punggol MRT station. Although Punggol is supposed to be the first stop on the North-East Line, the train was already packed with passengers and most seats were taken. When the train door opened, I waited for a passenger to alight, then moved into the train cabin. While I was heading towards the first empty seat, I realised someone was pushing me from behind. I turned to look and saw a middle-aged woman, probably in her 40s. I knew she wanted to grab a seat so I moved aside and took the second empty seat. But she moved with me and wanted the second empty seat. She gave me an annoyed look when I sat down on the second empty seat and I told her not to push.

I AM writing with regard to the Class 95 FM Morning Express Show by Glenn Ong and the Flying Dutchman last Wednesday. They were discussing stray cats in Singapore.

I BELIEVE by now most of us know that more than 100,000 Myanmar people, mostly villagers, have perished, their bodies rotting amid the fields and ditches because of the cyclone.