NDP ticket sellers barred from balloting in future: Organiser

SINGAPORE — Those caught selling or making unauthorised distribution of National Day Parade (NDP) tickets will be barred from balloting in future, the organiser said yesterday (June 30), following reports that tickets were being hawked online.

NDP tickets are free but members of the public have to join a ballot to get them. The tickets were reportedly being sold for up to S$400 at online marketplace Carousell. The sale of tickets to the preview and actual parade are prohibited.

Previously, those caught selling NDP tickets were barred from balloting for three years.

"Each year, ticket applications overwhelmingly exceed the number of seats available, and it is heartening that Singaporeans are eager to be part of the National Day Parade," said Brigadier General Melvyn Ong, NDP 2015 EXCO chairman. "Monetising the privilege to be part of the nation's birthday goes against the celebratory spirit of the event."

The organiser also said that it "takes a serious view of the sale and authorised distribution of Preview and NDP tickets," including "selling tickets indirectly by packaging them with other items".

"The NDP EXCO is actively working with all sale sites which include Carousell and eBay to prevent the sale of preview and actual day tickets," BG Ong added. CHANNEL NEWSASIA