National Day Parade 2007 Afterthought

Smart soldiers marching, crowds cheering, F-16 figher jets roaring followed by impressive entry by Falcons & Apache, thrilling aerial aerobatics at the Sheares Bridge by the commandos, enchanting performances & mesmerizing ethereal images projected on the water screen with an awesome firework display as the finale had made this year's NDP a sepctacular & memorable experience.

Actually I find the performance using the water screen somewhat similar to the 'Songs of the Sea'at Sentosa which uses pyrotechnics, water jets, lasers, computer imaging & bursts of fire. But of course the NDP's version is definitely more stunning & dramatic.

I personally also liked the part where they feature the parade commander Lieutenant Colonel (NS) See Tow Pak Onn together with his family. Thought that was a nice soft touch to it.

Indeed, according to a poll conducted by MediaCorp Media Research on 466 Singaporeans (local & overseas), 'Singapore is a place where my family and friends are' tops the list for local S'poreans while 'Singapore is a place where my roots are, no matter which part of the world I'm in' tops the list for overseas S'poreans. It is interesting to note that(though it may not be a surprise to us) 87% of local S'poreans feel that 'staying out of trouble' (obeying laws, paying taxes, doing well in school etc) is important...more important celebrating national day, actively supporting S'p & actively promoting change.

I used to love watching NDP & even to the extent of at attention when the national song is played on TV. Gradually, I've come to a stage where I can miss watching NDP or catch it at a re-telecast. But this year's performance plus new insights of the national event had made me look at it differently. Thanks to my ex-boss.

I used to wonder why would the govt want to spend to much money & resources on a 'performance'? The money could have been better spent on other areas like helping the needy. Especially the amount spent on the fireworks...it's like literally 'burning money'.

But hey, after speaking to my good old ex-boss, who used to work in the armed forces til he retired, I realised the significance of it. First it was for National Education. It's a time for the nation to celebrate together, to also remind ourselves how far we've come since our independence. It's a good time to stir up the patriotism within us. We feel proud watching our armed forces, the advanced equipment we have, the precise coordination & execution of the event (the amount of work & stress the organising committee & the staff had to go through is no joke). So kudos to the organising committee who had done a great fantastic job! Not forgetting the others who had also put in their utmost effort in putting up a good show.

Yes, a good show also for our potential enemies who might harbour ill-intentions. By showcasing our armed forces & equipment, plus the flawless execution of the whole event, we are telling them that we are capable, we are ready & we are not an easy target.

When I asked my hubby whether he felt it was a waste of time during his army days when he had to be involved in the NDP. It was a 'yes' which I believed most of you guys who were involved in the past in one way or another would have felt the same. Perhaps instead of just commanding the soldiers to carry out their duties, it might be good to give them some background, the purpose of having this Parade & the role they play. Seeing it from this perspective, made me appreciate the event more as well as the efforts put in by everyone. Yes, it can get quite political but it's necessary.



Speaking of 'burning money', I remember MM Lee made an interesting comment at an interview with Today where he made a light-hearted reference to Singaporeans' fascination to fireworks which goes like this "(you get) a few minutes of joy. I say, 'Why do we burn these? We could (use the money) to put up a community centre.' ...But this is what they want. So, all right, 'poof' you burn it up...You go with the times."

Well, the efforts paid off.