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Tag: NDP

  • State Funeral For Former President S R Nathan On Friday

    State Funeral For Former President S R Nathan On Friday

    The late former President S R Nathan will receive a State Funeral on Friday (Aug 26), announced the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) after he passed away on Monday.

    In a statement, the PMO said: “The Government has accepted the wishes of the late Mr S R Nathan and his family in making the following funeral arrangements. The Government will provide all the necessary assistance.

    “As a mark of respect to Mr Nathan, the State flag on all Government buildings will be flown at half-mast from Tuesday, Aug 23, to Friday, Aug 26, 2016.”

    The body of the late Mr Nathan will lie in state at Parliament House from 10am on Thursday, Aug 25 to 12.00pm on Friday, Aug 26.

    In its statement, the PMO said the public can pay their last respects at Parliament House from 10.00am to 8.00pm on Thursday, Aug 25. On Friday, Aug 26, members of the diplomatic corps and other officials can pay their last respects from 9.00am till 12.00pm.

    A State Funeral Service will take place from 4.00 pm on Friday, Aug 26, at the University Cultural Centre (NUS). It will be attended by Mr Nathan’s family, friends and former colleagues, the President, Cabinet Ministers, MPs, civil servants as well as Singaporeans from all walks of life.

    The State Funeral Service will be followed by a private cremation at Mandai Crematorium.

    Condolence boards will be available at Istana for those who want to pen tributes to the late Mr Nathan from tomorrow morning at 6.00 am. Condolence books will also be opened at all Overseas Missions for overseas Singaporeans and friends.

    The PMO added that the public can express their condolences and share their memories of Mr Nathan at the official website, http://www.remembering.sg/srnathan and/or the Remembering S R Nathan Facebook page.

    The public can call the hotline at 6336-1166 with queries, or visit http://www.remembering.sg/srnathan or the Remembering S R Nathan Facebook page for more details, the PMO said.

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

  • Ng Eng Hen: NDP 2017 Returns To Marina Bay Floating Platform

    Ng Eng Hen: NDP 2017 Returns To Marina Bay Floating Platform

    In a Facebook post on 18 August, the Minister of Defence, Ng Eng Hen wrote that the government has decided to hold the next NDP 2017 at the Floating Platform at Marina Bay.

    This year’s National Day celebration while filled with theatrical performances and dazzling light shows, was unable to showcase the all-time favorite parachute performance by the Red Lions and the national flag fly-by during the national anthem due to the covered shelter of the stadium.

    This year is also the first year the NDP was held back at the National Stadium after it was rebuilt, having the former torn down in 2010.

    He said the decision was made because it is a favourite site for some Singaporeans and that the temporary site should be used while it still exists.

    In his Facebook posting of the appreciation dinner to thank participants, partner organisations, volunteers, organising committee members and sponsors of the NDP 2016. He stated that 275,000 people enjoyed the NDP show live together with the preview and National Education shows, which is the biggest number of spectators so far..

    Dr Ng said, “For 2018, we would like to hold NDP again at the National Stadium.”, inferring that the NDP may or may not be held at the National Stadium.

    The question of holding NDP at the new National Stadium

    The cost of holding NDP at the National Stadium this year is expected to be about $39.4 million. In perspective, the total cost of holding NDP at the Padang in 2010 was $20.6 million and Marina Bay floating platform in 2015 for SG50, $40.5 million.

    On 29 February this year, Ms Sylvia Lim asked Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen in Parliament on the agreement between the Government and the Sports Hub allows MINDEF to use the Sports Hub for 45 days free of charge each year. She asked if the Government foresee that it would be holding the NDP at the Sports Hub and why were only 45 days provided for when we understand that the average number of days needed for the NDP is closer to about 80 days?

    Dr Ng did not answer straight to the question and went on to say “15% of $39.4 million is the figure which I have provided. The Member asked for details relating to the contract. The contract was negotiated as is, in the usual way that we negotiate with private providers and it is 15% of the total cost of the show, which is equivalent to the cost of public events held at private venues. Whether there is recourse for dispute resolution, I expect that it will be similar to all public contracts held in private venues as well.”

    Following that, Ms Lim asked if there is an expectation that future NDP will go back to the Sports Hub and what is expected to be paid?

    Dr Ng reluctantly replied, “That is a theoretical question and I do not have the answer.”

     

    Source: www.theonlinecitizen.com

  • Singaporeans Furious That ‘China Chiobu’ Got NDP Tickets But They Didn’t

    Singaporeans Furious That ‘China Chiobu’ Got NDP Tickets But They Didn’t

    Many watching the National Day Parade from home yesterday remarked that Mediacorp coverage tended to focus on a certain lady in the crowd, and were eager to find out who the chio bu (pretty girl) was.

    Well, it seems that the chio bu in question is known as Emma Lee, and she shared on her Weibo social media account that her birthday falls on August 9.

    And she’s a China national.

    That’s when anger began mounting amongst the Singaporean public, with many questioning why foreigners get to watch the parade live, when they couldn’t get tickets despite years of balloting.

    redwire-singapore-china-chiobu-national-day-parade4
    Said Amat Yabar:

    “I LIVED HERE FOR MORE THAN 3 DECADES AS A LOCAL BORN AND SERVED MY BLOODY NS AND I HAVE NEVER EVEN ONCE GOT THE CHANCE TO GET TICKETS TO TSEE MY OWN COUNTRY NDP, AND THESE BLOODY FOREIGNERS CAN GET TICKETS LIKE NOBODY BUSINESS!!!”

    Edwina Teo is disappointed that Singaporeans couldn’t get a seat to celebrate the nation’s golden jubilee year.

    “If for some reasons they got it through friends or buy it somewhere, it’s ok. But if otherwise, then it’s isn’t fair. Many Singaporeans out there are trying hard to get hold of tickets to this year NDP but are downcasted and disappointed because they didn’t managed to get them. Why aren’t these allocated to Singaporeans instead? Afterall, its Singapore’s 50th Golden Jubilee and isn’t Singaporean be given priority? What do they know about the history, the significance, the essence when the themes are played? They only know how to woos and wahs! Sad indeed. My opinion.”

    So too, Caroline Xeranella:

    “My husband has applied it ever since he is young until now he already had a daughter, also didn’t managed to get the tickets.”

    Lionel Koung apparently missed the boat again this year, and was disppointed that he got leap-frogged by a foreigner.

    “I have been trying to get tickets to watch Ndp for years and I don’t even get one and yet all this foreign talents are there watching. Don’t you feel that it’s so ironical???”

    But Adelene Bek offered a more balanced perspective.

    “Honestly, I dun suka em too. However, anyone in sg can go see the parade – incl a tourist if he/she is given a tix.”

    redwire-singapore-china-chiobu-national-day-parade3
    The Singaporean public has to ballot online for tickets to watch the National Day Parade.

    They will have to choose during the balloting processs if they want tickets to watch the actual parade, or one of the NDP previews.

     

    Source: http://redwiretimes.com

  • NDP Smashes Record For Most Number Of Tweets For One Event In Singapore

    NDP Smashes Record For Most Number Of Tweets For One Event In Singapore

    Twitter users have smashed the record for tweets related to a one-day event in Singapore, sending out more than 230,000 tweets about yesterday’s (Aug 9) National Day Parade (NDP) including those with the hashtag #NDP2015.

    Tweets also included other terms related to the Parade, such as #SG50, Majulah Singapura, and Golden Jubilee as well as Lee Kuan Yew, Lee Hsien Loong, and NDP performers Kit Chan and JJ Lin.

    This was twice the previous record held by the One Direction concert on March 11, where there were more than 100,000 tweets about the event.

    According to data released by Twitter today, there were 570 tweets sent per minute as it neared the 8.30pm mark yesterday, just as the Parade culminated in a massive fireworks display.

    Yesterday’s Golden Jubilee celebrations saw more than 26,000 people gathered at the Padang, where the first National Day Parade took place in 1966. Thousands more packed areas such as the Marina Barrage and Marina Bay.

    Here are some of the most shared tweets from Singapore’s Golden Jubilee celebrations

    Source: www.todayonline.com

  • Red Lions Land Safely After Parachute Snag

    Red Lions Land Safely After Parachute Snag

    A Red Lions skydiver was involved in a midair drama yesterday when he had to cut off his parachute while descending to the Padang during the rehearsal for the National Day Parade.

    The jumper, who has not been named, was the first of five.

    He managed to deploy his back-up parachute before landing safely on the parade grounds to cheers from the invited crowd.

    Some onlookers managed to photograph the detached parachute falling through the air. There were moments of fear that the freefaller was in danger.

    The NDP executive committee insisted that yesterday’s 10-minute long freefall display “was executed as planned”.

    TENSE MOMENT

    At deployment height, one of the jumpers’ first parachute went into a twist, a common occurrence while parachuting.

    SPOKESMAN, NDP executive committee

    “At deployment height, one of the jumpers’ first parachute went into a twist, a common occurrence while parachuting,” a spokesman said. “The jumper assessed that he could not clear the twist in time, and cut away the first parachute to deploy his reserve parachute, landing safely within the designated area in the Padang.

    “There were no injuries sustained,” the spokesman added.

    Aviation enthusiast Ow Eng Tiong, 41, who regularly attends the Red Lions display which is held annually, witnessed the incident from a nearby street.

    “I could see that his parachute had not opened completely,” he told The Sunday Times.

    “I saw him spiralling down like a corkscrew and falling faster than usual. I knew that something was wrong. But I presume he is fine since the second parachute worked,” he added.

    The last known parachute accident at the parade was in 2005, when a Red Lion fractured his pelvis as a result of a bad landing at a rehearsal. The Red Lions display, a perennial crowd favourite, takes place before the ceremonial military parade.

    This year, the military parade will feature more than 2,000 people in 37 contingents, among them representatives of 16 public- and private-sector bodies.

    Colonel Simon Lee, who oversees the parade and ceremony segment, said 42 companies and organisations had applied to march on Aug 9.

    Col Lee said: “There is only so much we can pack in. We want a good mix to show the various facets of total defence… we select those that best represent the Singapore identity.”

    Among the marchers will be Sembcorp Design and Construction managing director and former People’s Association chief, Mr Yam Ah Mee, 58.

    The former air force brigadier- general, who will lead the Sembcorp contingent, said: “The chance to march in a Jubilee parade does not come by often. I can also catch up with old friends and bond with all the youth.”

     

    Source: www.straitstimes.com