Comments on: Huh? We Absolutely Should Not Cancel Our National Day Parade.

By: The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Weekly Roundup: Week 26

The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Weekly Roundup: Week 26 — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 03:11:48 +0000

[...] May Destroy Our Last Village - TOC: Give adequate wages to low income workers - Ian on the Red Dot: Huh? We Absolutely Should Not Cancel Our National Day Parade. - The Extra Scoop: More babies - so what? - Singapore Indian Voice: Campaign the Singapore [...]

By: iantimothy

iantimothy — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:46:49 +0000

Hello everyone..thanks for sharing your thoughts.

@Paul Ananth - is it really true that only non-advanced, non-developed, communist-like countries show their military in their national day celebrations? I wonder…. time for me to do more research!

@Dex - you’re right.. Currently, NDP and National Day isn’t really like an AGM. I was saying let’s work towards that. My English can sometimes be unclear. I’m sorry for that misunderstanding.

@Dex - I so agree with you about how if we are proud to be Singaporean, we should show it day by day. And you’re right. We shouldn’t sit in front of the TV and just enjoy the parade!

Thanks for the suggestions on how we can make National Day better.

By: Onlooker

Onlooker — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:07:41 +0000

How about Workaround. No or lesser military hardwares (N Korea/China reference we didn’t want others to think our old man and son as dictators now, do we?)
(serious) Do a smaller scale parade like that time when we can’t afford the frills but are really proud to be Singaporean Padang. Ah yes, I know Early immigrants need to work really hard to succeed and they did it without scholarship and incentives but the pride that radiated from their face to be involved in the parade then is priceless Immigrant nowadays ….(|shake head| are so soft) Would not volunteer for NS some more.(not so serious;)
(joke;)And FT have to participate compulsory not must take up at least 2 to 3 week in a stay in camp where they have to homat sen ja ta,hanta kaki and coconut loose loose(wrong order!!:). They must parade to show the world what kind of talents we like(surprisingly mainly high caste people and PR C)not all bad but then not all good(joke;)
(my opinion)Darth meant it as a joke/satire thing lah so lighten up k :)(opinion = possibly wrong||right)
(opinion)People wear white to funerals what could they possibly be thinking wear white to a ND celebration? And I thought those things only come out during hungry ghost?(Chinese pt of view opinion)
(recommend)Red shirt with moon and five star pocket or white cresent moon(young nation) shaped pocket with 5 white star button(representing democracy?, peace, progress, justice???? and equality???? )
(recommendation)

By: Dex

Dex — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:52:34 +0000

Well, i happen to know quite a bit how NDP is organized because i happen to be in one of the SAF units tasked to do the job last year. I disagree on that part where you deem it as a Annual General Meeting. At an Annual General Meeting, shareholders can raise their concerns. NDP is a parade where you can’t do that.

I’d like to see this Parade idea scrapped. Firstly, you’ve got to see who actually does the work in this parade. Not well paid volunteers, but rather, poorly paid National Servicemen. Heck, some of these guys may not even be Singaporean yet they’re doing dirty tasks such as this. Is it alright to use soldiers, whose number 1 priority is to defend Singapore, to set up, tear down and usher people around during NDP? Ask yourself this question. If we use this kind of logic then the Australian Army will be organizing Mardi Gras and the Melbourne Cup every year, and lending a hand during England vs Australia at the MCC. Or imagine the British Army distributing fireworks to kids during Guy Fawkes Day.

Secondly, i hate to say this but we’re better off not having this parade when members of your creative crew happens to come from the streets of London, the shores of Australia and the mountains of New Zealand. Yes sir, you’re not going to get them to do it in the name of National Service, slap them a beautiful paycheck first, with several round trip air tickets on the world’s “best” airline from their homelands and Singapore. Where are the Singaporeans in all this, besides being the performers and the sandbag warriors? Where are our own creative people in all this?

Thirdly, it’s a show of nationalism. I totally diss the idea of Nationalism. And it’s a PAP thing.

Fourthly, the fuel. Not just the aircraft, but the boats and the trucks!

Also, i’ve never seen the North Koreans or Chinese have a “Preview” Parade”.

If we’re proud to be Singaporean, let’s show it, day by day. On National Day, do something with your friends and family and live up the occasion. Don’t sit in front of TV and enjoy the parade, that’s really unhealthy!

By: Paul Ananth

Paul Ananth — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:50:40 +0000

Why not a NDP without the military like advanced developed non-communist countries? We could have marching bands, the Sokka groups, cultural performances, stilt walkers, activists etc. Would be much more meaningful

By: jackyblue

jackyblue — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:40:04 +0000

I think the way to go is do away with “conscripting” and forcing people to be involved with organising NDP, the way it is now. Make it a volunteer-driven event. Or if it’s too big an event to be run by real volunteers, then do it smaller-scale at community level. That way, those who feel passionately enough about it, can get a chance to go “do something” to show. Those who can’t be bothered can then be certain they will never get conscripted into something that they have no interest in. And likely they can go find some other way to celebrate ND (without the P) that’s more meaningful to them personally.

By: CelluloidReality

CelluloidReality — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:21:22 +0000

Well, one issue I have with the NDP is that the ruling party attends in their party attire.

Somehow, someone forgot the dictionary definition of Nation and mixed it up with Party.

Either they ditch the Party attire or the other parties’ MPs, NCMPs should wear their own party colors there.

By: The SS

The SS — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:01:16 +0000

No issues with having a NDP. We are all Singaporeans and we should be proud of it….BUT…….
Why is it so lob sided with a PAP contingent only amongst all our political parties? Blatant.
Why must we build a white elephant to hold this costing how many millions? Smug.
Should we not scale back the amount wasted on Fireworks every week for several weeks on end? Propaganda for the school kids and self glorification.
Should we reduce the amount we blow on this? Utter waste of money.
So if you can take these away, I guess, YES ! we should celebrate National Day!

By: Panzer

Panzer — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 06:07:30 +0000

How can we cancel the National Day Parade. You know how many SAF scholars would lose the change to “shine” and be promoted to COL/BG or higher?

Also, NDP supports so many contractors to put up the buntings, printing companies for making those buntings and of course all those suppliers to SAF in fuel, food and other supplies to sustain the NDP efforts.

Mediacorp would also lose one mega event for advertising slots to sell? How can we impact the GLC’s top people’s rice-bowls?

Majullah Singapura.

By: CelluloidReality

CelluloidReality — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:03:27 +0000

Desmond,

Individual States in America organise their own 4th of July celebrations too. These are also official celebrations by the State Governments.