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Missing image of S’pore flag at NDP: Software defect the cause

SINGAPORE — A software defect with the National Stadium’s roof lighting system was the reason why an image of the Singapore flag was not projected on the domed roof during the finale segment of this year’s National Day Parade (NDP).

Top: The image of the Singapore flag did not appear on the domed roof during the Aug 9 parade. Bottom: The domed roof lit up with the image of the flag during the NDP preview shows. Photos: Ernest Chua

Top: The image of the Singapore flag did not appear on the domed roof during the Aug 9 parade. Bottom: The domed roof lit up with the image of the flag during the NDP preview shows. Photos: Ernest Chua

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SINGAPORE — A software defect with the National Stadium’s roof lighting system was the reason why an image of the Singapore flag was not projected on the domed roof during the finale segment of this year’s National Day Parade (NDP).

The problem, which had not happened before, has since been fixed.

This was revealed in a joint response on Friday (Aug 26) from the Singapore Sports Hub and the NDP 2016 executive committee, after TODAY reported on the glitch on Aug 11.

Mr Manu Sawhney, chief executive officer of Sports Hub, and Brigadier-General Kenneth Liow, the executive committee’s chairman, said that the Singapore flag was supposed to be projected onto the stadium’s roof at the end of the parade during the Aug 9 celebrations.

“However, this did not happen because the National Stadium’s roof lighting system encountered a software defect. This software defect had not occurred before and has since been rectified,” they said.

The roof was designed to double as a giant projector screen on both sides, and had displayed the flag during the earlier preview shows of the parade. On Aug 9, the roof remained dark during the finale that featured fireworks, the taking of the National Pledge and the singing of the National Anthem.

Both men reiterated that the committee and the Singapore Sports Hub are still “heartened that celebrations went on smoothly” and thanked participants, partner organisations, volunteers and sponsors for making the celebrations at the venue “a resounding success”.

The parade was held at the Sports Hub for the first time this year at the 55,000-capacity National Stadium, which opened in June 2014. It was touted as the NDP’s return to Kallang after 10 years.

It cost S$39.4 million to put the parade together, with the venue cost making up 15 per cent of the total bill. Previous parades held at the Marina Bay Floating Platform cost between S$15.7 million and S$17.9 million.

Last week, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen announced that the parade would return to the Marina Bay floating platform next year, but the Government hopes to stage it again at the National Stadium in 2018.

 

 

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