SINGAPORE — #OneNationTogether will be the theme of Singapore’s 52nd birthday bash, a call to Singaporeans to be “confident in our collective future as we overcome all odds together”, National Day Parade (NDP) organisers announced on Wednesday (May 17).
With the parade returning to the Marina Bay floating platform, traditional crowd favourites such as the Red Lions parachutists and aerial display, forgone last year due to venue restrictions at the new national stadium, will be back.
However, only 25,000 participants can catch each NDP show live due to the smaller capacity of the floating platform, compared to Sports Hub’s ability to hold 55,000.
This year’s parade will also include the Presidential gun salute on the M3G military raft, and there will be two defence displays this year before and after the parade and ceremony segment. In the first part, operational readiness of the Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAF) will be demonstrated. A live simulated cyber incident and terrorist attack will be played out in the next part to demonstrate the Government’s collective efforts in tackling rising security challenges.
The Terrex infantry carrier vehicles as well as Leopard 2SG main battle tank will make the defence display this year, said NDP 2017 executive committee chairman Melvin Ong Yoke Lam. Several Terrexes were seized in Hong Kong last November while they were being shipped back to Singapore from Taiwan after a military training exercise.
There will also be a special tribute to NS50 in this year’s parade and ceremony segment. Colonel Ong added: “NS50 will be featured prominently in the parade segments (because) the 50 years of National Service that underpins (the nation’s) growth and development is unique through the one million Singaporean sons who have contributed, and the future Singaporean sons who will do so to ensure that we have a chance in the future.”
Besides the show of military might, Col Ong said this year’s NDP “celebrates the precious social unity and the racial and religious harmony” Singapore enjoys today, which must never be taken for granted.
Therefore, the NDP 2017 logo is inspired by an image of four interlocking hands that was printed on Singapore’s first S$10 dollar Orchid series note, which was launched in 1967.
(The NDP 2017 logo features four hands clasped and interlocked with each other in unity. The logo is inspired by a similar and familiar image on Singapore’s first ten dollar Orchid series note launched in 1967. Logo: Ministry of Defence)
Bearing a shape of the island nation at the centre of the four hands, it recognises the important role racial harmony has played across 52 years of Singapore’s nation building, and symbolises Singaporeans from all walks of life “setting aside their differences and coming together with the conviction of building a better Singapore of tomorrow”, its designer said in a logo guide.
This year’s theme song Because It’s Singapore is composed by Lee Wei Song with lyrics penned by Jay Lim also highlights racial and religious harmony. Lim, who was one of the top 10 contestants in the 2006 Singapore Idol Season 2, will not be performing at the parade as the theme song is “meant to be sung by all Singaporeans on Aug 9”, said Col Ong.
This year’s parade is expected to cost only half that of last year’s hefty S$39.4 million, where the cost was hiked up partly due to the cost of renting the dome-shaped venue at the Sports Hub.
Previous NDPs held at the floating platform cost between S$15.7 million and S$17.9 million.
The first parade on water was held in 2007, and subsequent editions of the NDP were held there, with the exception of 2010’s and 2015’s editions, which were held at the Padang.
