SINGAPORE – Spectacular fireworks lit up the night sky yesterday, against the stunning Marina Bay backdrop, at the end of a rousing rendition of Majulah Singapura by the 20,000-strong crowd at the Marina Bay floating platform.

The majestic sight capped the finale to the nation’s 49th birthday celebrations, and provided a fitting swansong for the venue’s seven-year run of hosting the National Day Parade (NDP).

The temporary structure was built in 2007 as an alternative venue to host the parade while a new National Stadium is being built. With the stadium ready to host next year’s NDP, the fate of the floating platform is under review.

Mr Laurence Goh, 49, who has attended the past three parades at the venue, said he will miss the experience. “I kind of fell in love with this place. Compared to all the other venues, I think this is the best," he said, noting that the location of the venue allowed parade organisers to showcase sea displays by the navy and the police coast guard.

Ms Banisah Bte Mohd Saher, 33, suggested that the authorities retain the Marina Bay site as a possible NDP venue, and alternate the parade location from year to year.

Still, spectators whom TODAY spoke to said they were looking forward to next year’s parade at the new National Stadium. And should last night’s parade turn out to be the final one held at the floating platform, it was certainly one to remember for them.

Directed by cultural medallion winner Dick Lee – his third show, having been behind the 2002 and 2010 NDPs - the parade featured several new elements: A video tribute to the pioneer generation with vintage clips of Samsui women, the first battalion of regular soldiers and milestones such as the first parliament session and the inaugural NDP held at the Padang in 1966. Another clip showcased the can-do spirit of Singaporeans, featuring – among others - dance pioneer Goh Lay Kuan, “blade runner” Shariff Abdullah, who runs with a prosthetic blade, and navy serviceman Jason Chee, who lost his limbs in a work accident in 2012.

The parade also saw the first woman member of the Singapore Armed Forces’ Red Lions parachute team, Third Warrant Officer Shirley Ng, participating in the free fall jump - a perennial crowd favourite. Her maiden NDP jump last year was called off due to cloudy weather. But this time, 3WO Ng and the crowd were not to be disappointed. And for the first time, 18 “Junior Red Lions”, primary school children who were selected in a contest where they were required to pay tribute to the pioneer generation or describe what NDP meant to them, were on the ground to receive the jumpers. 

Other new additions to NDP celebrations this year included participants from the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore and OnePeople.sg – a non-governmental organisation which champions racial harmony - who formed part of the largest non-uniformed contingent marching this year.

The crowd lapped up traditional favourites such as the military and aircraft displays, as well as the flag flypast. In the absence of a new National Day song this year – the first time in 16 years - the spectators sang along to a medley of classics including “Home” and “One People, One Nation, One Singapore”.

The loudest cheers of the night – as has been the case in recent NDPs – went to the Republic’s first Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, when he arrived at the parade with Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

In all, more than 3,000 people performed in the show, which comprised four acts to celebrate the “can-do spirit and caring attitude of Singaporeans”, as the organisers put it. Including the marching contingents and those who worked behind the scenes, some 5,000 people were involved in NDP this year.

The show also featured the largest multimedia set-up in the parade's history, with LED screens spanning the size of three basketball courts, for example.

Mr Eric Von Livonius, a 44-year-old German citizen and Singapore Permanent Resident who attended the parade, said: "It's a great show and it's very emotional as well to see the pride of Singapore.”

Mr Livonius, who has been living here for the past eight years, added: “For me, Singapore is my home."