NDP 2017 to be held at Marina Bay floating platform

SINGAPORE — The National Day Parade will return to the Marina Bay floating platform next year, but the Government hopes to stage it again at the National Stadium in 2018, announced Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen on Thursday (Aug 18).

The floating platform, built 10 years ago as a temporary site, has become a “favourite” of Singaporeans because of the Marina Bay backdrop, which allows for air, land and sea elements in the show. “We should do it there (the floating platform) while it’s still available,” said Dr Ng, who was speaking at the National Day Parade 2016 appreciation dinner. 

The floating platform was built when the old National Stadium at Kallang, where many NDPs had been held, closed. At that time, there were also plans to renovate the City Hall and the Old Supreme Court, and the Padang — another site for the NDP — was also closed for a period of time. 

As for 2018, the Government hopes to hold the NDP at the Sport Hub’s National Stadium, which hosted the parade for the first time this year. Held at a cost of S$39.4 million, the parade saw crowd favourites such as the Red Lions parachutists dropped from the lineup due to safety reasons.

But Dr Ng said the parade was a success nonetheless. “Some people who have watched many NDP shows even said this is their best NDP ever.”

Adding that each site has its “unique charm” and fans among Singaporeans, he said: “But wherever the NDP is held, the goal remains the same — to celebrate together as one people with one heart on our nation’s birthday and celebrate and remind us of the progress that we (have) made year after year and to say ‘Majulah Singapura’ together.” 

Addressing the NDP organisers, participating organisations and sponsors at the dinner, Dr Ng thanked them for their efforts in making the inaugural NDP at the new stadium a memorable one, with “new favourites” for Singaporeans.

“If you live long enough, you’ll know things can turn out differently. With all these challenges, alternate scenarios could well have been the reality and nobody would have faulted ... the organising committee if they decided to put up a really safe ‘so-so’ show ... nobody would have faulted them because (in the) first year you want to execute it well, don’t be too ambitious,” Dr Ng said.

The staging of the NDP at the new National Stadium this year came after drawn-out discussions between the Ministry of Defence and Sports Hub, with one nagging issue being the financial impact on the Sports Hub if it hosted the parade. 

A record 275,000 spectators watched the National Education shows, the two preview shows, and the Aug 9 parade, put up by 10,000 participants. The show drew mixed reception among spectators, with some missing traditional crowd-pleasers such as the Red Lions, the Black Knights display and being able to see the full outdoors fireworks show. Others appreciated the comfort of the National Stadium, and the innovative use of 3D props. 

When contacted on Thursday, a Sports Hub spokesperson said: “We look forward to the possibility of NDP to be held at the Sports Hub in 2018.”

She added that the Sports Hub was still looking into why the domed roof of the stadium did not light up with the image of the Singapore flag on Aug 9 as planned.