MAJULAH SINGAPURA!

What better way to celebrate Singapore s Golden Jubilee than by throwing the party of the century? PIONEER brings you highlights of the extravaganza that is this year s National Day Parade (NDP).

Come 9 Aug, Singaporeans will be treated to an NDP 2015 of grand proportions, featuring many firsts and old favourites. And unprecedented numbers will be able to take part in the celebration.

Majulah Singapura or Onwards Singapore - composed by Zubir Said in 1958 and adopted as our national anthem in 1959 - is an apt theme for this year s NDP which calls upon Singaporeans to reflect on their achievements over the past 50 years and work together towards a brighter future.

"As we celebrate our Golden Jubilee, our team realised that Singapore's progress today stands on the shoulders of those who have come before us," said Brigadier-General (BG) Melvyn Ong, Chairman of NDP 2015 Executive Committee, when he shared the inspiration behind the theme. "Fifty years on, meeting tomorrow's challenges will require the same vision, hard work, and persistence of those men and women who acted so boldly decades ago."

Remembering, honouring

Returning to the historic venue of the Padang, the NDP's Integrated Show will narrate Singapore's journey since gaining independence, in six chapters.Through a mix of nostalgic acts and fast-paced performances, the show will highlight how far the country has come from its humble beginnings.

There will be a special film and performance in the Prologue, paying tribute to Singapore's founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. The Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF's) Black Knights will execute a "Five Stars" Tribute Aerial Flypast in honour of the late Mr Lee. The "Five Stars" signify Singapore's ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice, and equality. Mr Lee's seat at the NDP will be left empty, with a bouquet of flowers placed on it.

"This segment aims to celebrate Mr Lee's life," explained BG Ong. "It will be an uplifting tribute to Mr Lee."

The Prologue will also feature performances by popular local band The Sam Willows and crowd favourite, the Red Lions parachute team from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

Pioneering spirit

Chapter One: Beginnings will bring audiences back to when Singapore was founded, and the struggles of pioneers in building the country. A key highlight of this chapter is the Vintage Parade which will re-enact segments of street parades that took place in the early 1970s.

There will be nine contingents marching in the Vintage Parade, each consisting of about 50 participants, from 10 organisations - the SAF, Singapore Police Force (SPF), Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), Public Utilities Board, POSB, SingHealth, People's Association, PSA Corporation Ltd, Singapore Airlines, and Housing & Development Board.

One of the participants in the SAF contingent is Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) (Ret) Swee Boon Chai, 68. The Army pioneer enlisted in 1966 and was among the first batch of officers to train in SAFTI. His participation this year is especially meaningful for LTC (Ret) Swee, who marched in the very first NDP atthe Padang in 1966.

He recalled: "I had only just joined the SAF in June 1966. In the first week of July, we had to start getting ready for the parade. We were recruits at that time. Marching in a contingent measuring 16 men by 16 men was not easy."

Fast forward 50 years to the present, and LTC (Ret) Swee is, once again, marching at the Padang. "I feel very proud, of course," he said. "We will make history and it is a one-of-a-kind opportunity. When I was asked if I wanted to participate, I accepted without hesitation."

This enthusiasm and motivation is evident in all the pioneers who have volunteered to take part in the Vintage Parade. LTC (Ret) Swee helped to recruit them for the SAF contingent. He said: "Within three weeks, I managed to gather all the numbers and now I actually have 15 people in reserve. This is the level of enthusiasm and interest in the oldies of the SAF."

The 50-man SAF contingent, comprising 25 pioneers from the Army, 15 from the Navy, and 10 from the Air Force, has an average age of about 65 years, with three participants above the age of 80. Two of these were former NDP Parade Regimental Sergeant Majors - the legendary Captain (CPT) (Ret) Hong Seng Mak, also known as Tiger Hong, and CPT (Ret) Shamsudin bin Shadan - proving that age is nothing but a number, as they put in many weeks of practice for this special jubilee parade.

Celebrating success

While NDP 2015 is returning to the Padang, Singaporeans across the island will be able to catch a slice of the action. Aside from the Padang, the celebrations have been extended to various sites around the Marina Bay area. For the first time, there is another ticketed site to watch the NDP - at The Float@MarinaBay. Additionally, the Parade will be broadcast on LED screens throughout the Marina Bay area at locations such as Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza, The Promontory, Merlion Park, Marina Barrage, and the Gardens by the Bay - turning the entire Marina Bay area into a giant celebration site.

Back at the Padang, the Show continues with the second chapter, titled Progress. Breaking from tradition, instead of being distinct segments, the Parade and Ceremony (P&C), and the Mobile Column which returns this year to NDP, will be part of the Integrated Show which tells the Singapore story.

"This year's Show is not merely a look back at Singapore's past and how far we have come," said Colonel (COL) Tan Cheng Kwee, Chairman of the Show Committee. "It will tell a story of Singapore, for Singaporeans."

The P&C involves more than 2,000 people making up 37 contingents, including a record 16 civilian contingents. Leading the contingents is Parade Commander LTC Alvin Tjioe. Noting the sheer scale of the parade, he said: "This year, we have a very big parade (It is) really a sight to behold. I am deeply honoured to be given the opportunity to lead this parade, and really wish that come 9 Aug, Singaporeans from all over will be able to see a parade that they will remember."

Ceremonial 25-pounder howitzers will fire the 21-Gun Salute from M3G Military Float Bridges on the waters off Merlion Park. They have a special addition this year. Two artillery pioneers - Senior Warrant Officer (SWO) (Ret) Kuttalingam Nainar, 63, and SWO (Ret) Lim Seng Wah, 65, both previous Artillery Formation Sergeant Majors - will join the SAF gunners in the Presidential Gun Salute.

Sharing his experience, SWO (Ret) Nainar joked: "There was nothing much to prepare me (for the gun salute) except that they had to make a new set of uniforms for me!

"However, I did have to practise with the crew to build the understanding to allow us to work as a team."

The P&C contingents will march to The Float@Marina Bay and the Helix Bridge where they will later recite the National Pledge together, during the"Pledge Moment".

Soaring spectacle

Audiences will also be treated to a spectacular aerial display by the RSAF, as a salute to the nation. Fifty aircraft - the largest number to participate in an NDP at the Padang - will execute new aerial manoeuvres.

Aside from the traditional State Flag flypast, there will be a "50" formation flypast by 20 F-16s, followed by an aerial bomb-burst performed by the Black Knights. They will be followed by transport aircraft and other fighter jets, as well as helicopters, executing myriad formations and combat manoeuvres.

Said COL Francis Ngooi, Chairman Air Participation: "The main challenge is the coordination of all the aircraft; accommodating 50 aircraft within Singapore's tight airspace; (and completing) their aerial manoeuvres."

Conceptualisation for the Air Participation segment began as early as April last year, and rehearsals started at the beginning of this year. Much effortand time have gone into ensuring a perfect show, but as COL Ngooi said: "In celebration of our nation's Golden Jubilee, we hope to make this year's NDP memorable and special for Singaporeans."

He added: "While viewing the '50' formation, we hope Singaporeans will be reminded of our progress over the past 50 years, and be inspired to work towards the future with the same pioneering spirit."

Showing strength

The third chapter of the Integrated Show, titled Strength, will remind audiences that Singapore's defence and security forces are ready and able to protect the nation. What better way to do this than with a massive display of the combined assets of the SAF and Home Team in the Mobile Column.

Featuring 177 assets and about 900 personnel, the Mobile Column is a sight to behold. It stretches two kilometres long and takes 14 minutes and 30 seconds to rumble past the Padang. Led by the Leopard 2SG Main Battle Tanks, the Mobile Column will also feature elements such as the Bionix II Infantry Fighting Vehicle and Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicle. Spectators are in for a treat as the convoy will also consist of never-before-seen vehicles such as the Armoured Engineer Vehicle from the Army and the 40-tonne Specialised Maritime Craft from the Navy.

The Mobile Column will be complemented by multimedia videos that showcase stories of the men and women who operate the platforms. "This year's Mobile Column will tell the story of the growth of Singapore's defence and security forces," said LTC Cai Dexian, Chairman of the Mobile Column Committee. "This strength is inherent not only in the equipment and vehicles, but also in its people The stories of these men and women from the SAF, SPF and SCDF will be woven into the Mobile Column to recognise their sacrifices and contributions."

Uniquely Singaporean

The fourth chapter of the Integrated Show, titled Unity, opens with a film of Singaporeans sharing on how, despite their different cultures, they are still one nation. The film will be followed by a mass display performance by 850 members of the Singapore Soka Association, forming the words "unity","progress", "success", and "onward" in the four official languages.

Identity - Uniquely Singaporean is the fifth chapter, which celebrates the quirks and traits that characterise Singaporeans, and the warm and heartfelt memories which make Singapore home. Over 500 performers from the People's Association will dance, using 12 props that showcase the unique Singaporean identity.

One of the performers is Mr Mohmad Amiruddin Casperico Bin Ali, who is a section leader of the mass display. He said: "What makes me come back every year is the people." Mr Amir has participated in the NDP 17 times since 1997. "In the People's Association, we are bonded. I would say that we are like brothers and sisters, so it is easy for us to communicate. We are like a family."

Moving onwards

The sixth and final chapter, Onwards - Bright Future, will celebrate the power of Singaporeans' dreams and inspire them to move onwards as a nation. More than 600 primary school children will take to the stage - the largest group performance by primary school children in recent years.

This group includes 120 Primary One and Two students, who will be performing alongside Singaporean artist JJ Lin as he sings this year's theme song, Our Singapore, composed by singer-songwriter Dick Lee, who is also NDP 2015's Creative Director. Accompanying the performance is a visual collage ofaspirations of young Singaporeans, setting a lively tone for their performance.

The Integrated Show culminates in a grand finale where all the performers come together in a visual spectacle. Led by a group of Singaporeans born on 9 Aug, everyone will recite the National Pledge and sing the National Anthem at precisely 8:15pm, as 1,200 performers form a mosaic of the National Flag. The Parade ends with a bang: the largest ever fireworks display at an NDP, befitting a golden jubilee parade.

Female fighter pilot in "50" flypast

For 30-year-old Major (MAJ) Lee Mei Yi, an F-16 fighter pilot by training, a normal work day might see her soaring in the skies above Singapore at twice the speed of sound.

Come 9 Aug, MAJ Lee will be doing something different - flying in close formation with 19 other F-16s in the "50" formation flypast at this year's NDP.

This being the first time she is taking part in NDP, MAJ Lee faced some challenges in preparing for the flypast. "I think the challenge is to fly in close proximity with each other," she said. "For close formation flying, we had to practise to make sure that we could fly accurately and in the right position so that the whole formation is balanced."

On the rigorous training that the pilots go through to ensure that their performance goes on without a hitch, she said: "We have been practising over both the South China Sea and Singapore to put up a good show on 9 Aug... Over the course of the training, we have built the competency to fly in close proximity with each other and to handle any contingencies."

The constant training, briefings, and debriefs required a lot of commitment, but MAJ Lee felt it was all worth it: "It's a great honour and privilege to participate in this year's NDP. It is (also) our nation's Golden Jubilee, so there is added significance for me to be part of it."

COL (Ret) Goh (Right) leading the Mobile Column in NDP 2015.

Man of steel

Pioneer Armour officer COL (Ret) Goh Lye Choon, 74, is returning to the Padang this year to ride alongside the Mobile Column commander in the first Leopard 2SG Main Battle Tank leading the 2km-long Column.

Recalling his participation in the first NDP Mobile Column in 1969, COL (Ret) Goh said it was a difficult time for him and his fellow pioneers. They were undergoing armour training overseas when the call came for them to oversee the Mobile Column. He said: "We were overseas until May (1969) and when we came back, there was nothing. There was no camp, no troops, just the 36 of us (armour officers)."

Despite the difficulties, which included having no proper area for rehearsals, resulting in tank tracks damaging the road surface they drove on, COL (Ret) Goh and his pioneers recognised the significance of what they were doing. He said: "When we started the first NDP Mobile Column in 1969, it was the 150th anniversary of modern Singapore's founding," said COL (Ret) Goh. "It was a very important occasion at that time."

Today, 46 years later, COL (Ret) Goh is looking forward to being a part of the Mobile Column again, and eager to share his experience with the younger soldiers. He feels that it will be yet another meaningful experience: "I am very happy that I can be useful to this generation As a pioneer, it is a privilege to come back."

Most meaningful NDP

Musician, playwright, director, Cultural Medallion recipient, and for NDP 2015, Creative Director. Dick Lee is one of Singapore's best known personalities in the arts scene.

"This year, NDP is of course very significant because it is the most important NDP in our history, being Singapore's 50th anniversary," said Mr Lee. "I want to make it (NDP 2015) a meaningful experience. At the end of the day, this is a celebration of who we are and how far we've come, and I want to focus on that and get that message across."

Not surprisingly, the journey towards NDP 2015 was a stressful one. He joked: "The stress that all of us in the creative team have had is almost enough to kill us!"

Adding to this stress must have been writing this year's NDP theme song, Our Singapore. He said: "One of the biggest challenges that I faced was about the song There was also the fear that everyone was going to compare the new song to Home.

"At the end of the day, I appealed to my own emotions and worked on how I felt, rather than think about how it should sound."

What is unique about this year's theme song is that it will be sung in two different styles - Mr Lee will sing a slower, more moving rendition, while JJ Lin will be performing a more upbeat version. "I think he (JJ Lin) has done a really fantastic rendition, which is the one that the younger generation will like," said Mr Lee. "Perhaps the older generation will like my version, so there's something for everyone - that's what NDP is about."

A record-breaking NDP in numbers

200,000 spectators in total can enjoy the National Day celebrations in the Marina Bay area during the Preview on 1 Aug and actual NDP on 9 Aug.

The stage at the Padang features a 9,600 sqm (120m by 80m) performing space that can accommodate 4,000 performers at a time. It is the largest stage constructed for the Padang.

The cyclorama screens are the largest ever LED screen built for the NDP. Covering 2,618 sqm in total, the screens form a continuous LED wall stretching 406m from end to end in the seating gallery.

64 high-definition projectors will be deployed above the National Gallery of Singapore to create a canvas area measuring 100m by 70m on the performance floor - something never before done in Singapore.