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NDP 2014 will pay tribute to everyday Singaporeans

SINGAPORE — For the past 10 years, Ms Salbiah Jamaludin has celebrated National Day by marching with the contingent from the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) at every National Day Parade (NDP) — an experience that fills her with pride, she said.

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SINGAPORE — For the past 10 years, Ms Salbiah Jamaludin has celebrated National Day by marching with the contingent from the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) at every National Day Parade (NDP) — an experience that fills her with pride, she said.

This year, NDP organisers will celebrate everyday Singaporeans such as Ms Salbiah during the Parade and Ceremony segment, which will feature their contributions in “building a resilient, caring and inclusive society” over five parts called Heartbeats, each with a theme such as Tribute to Pioneers and Faces of Families.

“What’s different about this year’s parade is the recognition of everyday Singaporean heroes who have served and contributed. Honestly, we often take them for granted.” said Senior Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Tan, chairman of the Parade and Ceremony Committee.

“With Heartbeats, we hope to pay tribute and celebrate the pioneers, capturing the feelings and the hearts of Singaporeans.”

Instead of the usual band performance, this year’s Parade and Ceremony segment, dubbed A Parade with a Heart, will open with a seven-minute military band display — the largest of its kind seen on The Float at Marina Bay. It will feature close to 2,000 participants getting into interesting formations and marching to familiar NDP song favourites such as Home.

For the first time, eight participants from the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore will also be taking part in the parade.

In August, Ms Salbiah, 45, who works as an assistant supervisor at Changi General Hospital, will be marching with the NTUC contingent of 36 members again.

When asked what keeps her coming back, she said: “When I first joined, I felt it was very hard and tough. But the bonding with my brothers and sisters from NTUC encouraged me to take part every year. The atmosphere, encouragement and friends I make every year (motivate) me to come back.”

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