This year’s National Day Parade (NDP), the last to be held at the National Stadium, should’ve been a grand ol’ affair. It should’ve had something astonishingly different to mark this milestone. It should’ve gone out with a huge bang. Instead, what we got was a drone of familiarity, with the concept and staging evoking a strange sense of déja vu. Vernon Sum Chun Wei, who wrote to the newspaper last week, echoed this, stating that the parade “featured all the same old march-past, flashcards, aerial display of planes and parachutists, and fireworks. Frankly, the parade has bored me for the last 10 years because everything was so predictable.”For next year’s NDP, to be held on a floating barge in Marina Bay, we recommend something more radical. After all, if local indie band Electrico, who performed at this year’s parade can’t lift it out of the doldrums, perhaps it needs a complete image overhaul. Here are a couple of suggestions:• A giant piñata with lots of goody bags containing strawberry flavored condoms and a progress package made available for the first 500 who turn up.• Since it’s Singapore’s 42nd anniversary, do a 42nd Street/Broadway Theme Show, featuring rewrites of big show tunes like “New York, New York” (“It all comes true, Singapore, Singapore!”), and have Kumar perform.• Showcase a special art installation and collaboration by Lim Tzay Chuen of Venice Biennale fame and David Copperfield, who will attempt to move the Merlion from Sentosa to the parade (and actually make it happen).• Set up computers at Marina Bay and have people blog onsite about their love for Singapore, with a little help from Mr. Brown.• Instead of the various members of the government coming out with their usually polite waves, have them make a splash with a synchronized swimming number.• Crazy Horse dancers to replace boring school kids.• PM Lee to wakeboard!
