NDP 2024: Together, As One United People

A show of unity, as the Padang lights up for 59th National Day Parade

By Samuel Devaraj, The Straits Times, 10 Aug 2024

Hands on their hearts, they stood and pledged themselves as one united people, while around them the lights shone in the city they had helped to build for their nation, 59 years young.

Their voices capped a night of pomp, spectacle and tradition, of hard work and creativity, as Singaporeans celebrated how far they had come together, regardless of race, language or religion.

Joining the audience of 27,000 who had gathered at the Padang were President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, attending the National Day Parade (NDP) for the first time in their new roles.

Some 7,500 others enjoyed the ceremony nearby at The Promontory @ Marina Bay, with official festivities spilling over to the open space near the Marina Bay Financial Centre for the first time.

To the theme of Together, As One United People, this year’s parade was a show of unity, with the crowd a sea of red and white against the backdrop of the city skyline at dusk.

The festivities kicked off at 5.30pm, when the hosts – radio deejay Joakim Gomez, host and media personality Sonia Chew, actor Ebi Shankara and actress Siti Khalijah – took to the stage to pump up the audience for the night to come.

The format was familiar, but as is the case every year, the excitement and anticipation of the audience were fresh.

The Red Lions parachute team of the Singapore Armed Forces raised the ante when they descended from the sky, among them two female parachutists taking part for the first time in an NDP at the Padang.

Their arrival heralded the start of the parade and ceremony segment, United We Stand, featuring 35 marching contingents and more than 2,100 participants, who had begun practising for this evening about four months ago.

After the last contingent was lined up on the field, the motorcades bearing first, PM Wong, and then President Tharman, arrived to loud cheers and applause.

Overhead, a Chinook carrying the nation’s flag was a stirring sight as it flew past the parade ground.

Five F-16 fighters then took to the sky for the salute to the nation, with the excited crowd matching the roar of the engines in arguably the most thrilling moment of the parade.

Consisting of four 25-pounder guns and personnel loaded on a raft, the presidential gun salute sailed around the Marina Basin, covering a 5.87km route, its longest ever.

Stopping near the Esplanade to fire 21 times as President Tharman inspected the contingents, the presidential gun salute is the nation’s highest honour.

The parade had other firsts. For the first time, to commemorate 40 years of Total Defence, a dynamic defence display was brought to the parade at the Padang.

Simulated attacks thwarted by man and machine from various sections of Singapore’s defence arsenal ensured the crowd’s attention never wavered from the Padang stage.

Amid a display filled with high-octane music and pyrotechnics, the contingents made their way through the spectator stands, while the excited audience took close-up photos.

Then, as night fell on the Padang, it was bathed in the glow of a concert arena as the LED wristbands given to each audience member lit up, marking the start of the show segment.

This segment featured 12 artistes and more than 3,000 performers, including singers Amni Musfirah and Shazza, multidisciplinary artist weish and cellist Olivia Chuang, who were among those performing at an NDP for the first time.

Celebrating the things that make Singapore, Singapore, the show paid tribute to the pioneer generation, ordinary workers, and the nation’s love of food.

But there were introspective moments too, in a poignant nod to individuals who go above and beyond to lift their communities.

And what is an NDP without a song? Singer-songwriter Benjamin Kheng, of local band The Sam Willows fame, drew loud cheers and applause when he took to the stage and performed the NDP 2024 theme song, Not Alone, for which he wrote the lyrics.

As the night drew to a close, after the Pledge was recited and a rousing National Anthem sung, the audience was treated to a 360-degree fireworks experience.

Surrounded by fireworks launched from Marina Bay and the Padang, as well as from the nearby Adelphi building, spectators could be seen whipping out their phones for selfies.

With the Marina Bay skyline blazing brightly as the backdrop, those images would seal the memories of the NDP for years to come.

Watching the fireworks up close left first-time NDP spectator Ong Si Ni, 42, in awe.

While the university manager had seen the fireworks from nearby during a previous rehearsal, she told The Straits Times that it could not compare with being in the middle of the action at the Padang.

Ms Ong – who was at the parade with her friend’s mother, Ms Agnes Ho, 74, who works part-time at a food and beverage outlet – said her favourite part was the show segment where she could see performers dancing and enjoying themselves.

She added: “I am very happy that I came. I feel like I’m truly a Singaporean.”

President Tharman, PM Wong attend their first NDP in new roles

By Samuel Devaraj, The Straits Times, 10 Aug 2024

It was certainly not their first National Day Parade, but the 2024 celebration at the Padang on Aug 9 was the first for President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong since assuming their new roles.

They were greeted with cheers and applause as they arrived at the Padang.

PM Wong took office as Singapore’s fourth prime minister on May 15.

President Tharman, who was elected in September 2023, was the reviewing officer for the 2024 NDP. As he inspected the five guard of honour contingents, he was seen stopping to speak with some of the uniformed servicemen and women.

In a Facebook post on Aug 8 about National Day, the President highlighted some of the achievements of Singapore’s athletes at the Paris Olympics and said the country’s future lies in its unbreakable Singapore spirit.

“Through the highs and the lows, never let go of that Singapore spirit. Each of us too being able to say ‘I gave my all’,” he added.

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong was also at the parade on Aug 9, arriving to cheers from the audience.

In a video tribute played shortly after his arrival, Singaporeans thanked SM Lee for his contributions as prime minister – a role he had served in for 20 years.

SM Lee was Singapore’s prime minister from August 2004 to May 2024. He had announced in April that he would step down as the country’s leader and hand over the reins to PM Wong. Mr Lee was appointed as senior minister after stepping down as PM.