Manpower was the hottest topic for contributors to government feedback unit Reach this year, accounting for about a tenth of the more than 43,000 pieces of feedback received up till November. Also popular was transport, with 2,900 views on the topic, and population and immigration, with 2,800 comments received, Reach said in a media release on Wednesday.

New media and social media - including the online Reach portal - were the most popular feedback platforms, contributing to about 90 per cent of the feedback Reach received. From Thursday, users will have to login via Facebook to post on the Reach portal's discussion forum, a move which chairman Dr Amy Khor said was to provide a safe and conducive environment for contributors.

"We are not doing this to seek pro-establishment views, nor are we shy of criticisms. What we would like to see is constructive and honest views, but individuals must be responsible for the views they share," she said.

She added that Reach expects the number of comments to drop initially as "users will take time to get used to the Facebook login," but as users realise over time that views are not curtailed, "we think more will come forward to join the discussion."