5 NDP icons who stole the show over the years, & they are not all from the parade

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5 NDP icons who stole the show over the years

With Singapore’s 59th birthday right around the corner, it’s common for those in the country to reminisce about how far the nation has come.

As the Little Red Dot prepares to celebrate its last birthday in its 50s with a memorable National Day Parade (NDP), let’s look back on some of the iconic moments that have stolen the show over the years.

Source: NDpeeps on Facebook

Here are five unforgettable NDP “icons” who have shot to fame with just a minute or so on live television.

1. Boy flashing middle finger at camera in 2017

Being on national television is a dream for many, and one Singaporean student lived out this dream in a rather controversial manner.

A Henry Park Primary School student involved in the 2017 NDP shocked and amused the nation after flashing his middle finger on live television.

As his peers joyfully celebrated Singapore’s 52nd birthday, the young boy solemnly stared into the camera before unexpectedly displaying the gesture.

While some who tuned in to the broadcast were entertained by the student — with netizens even dubbing the boy a “national hero” — Henry Park did not find his actions amusing and shared that the boy was counselled after the incident.

Source: ARCHVILE on YouTube

Regardless of your stance on the boy’s controversial gesture, this iconic image still remains in our thoughts seven years on.

2. Lee Kuan Yew’s last NDP appearance in 2014

When collating a list of Singapore icons, it is impossible to leave out former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

The nation’s founding father played a vital role in Singapore’s development since its independence in 1965, so it was a heartwarming moment for many to see him celebrating the country’s 49th birthday back in 2014.

Singaporeans rose to their feet after spotting the 90-year-old statesman patriotically waving the country’s flag among NDP attendees.

Source: 154thmedia2014 on YouTube

The scene became an emotional memory for many Singaporeans as it was later discovered to be Mr Lee’s last NDP before he passed away on 23 March 2015 from pneumonia.

The country then paid tribute to the late Mr Lee during Singapore’s 50th birthday celebrations in 2015 with a moving video montage, which tugged at the heartstrings of many.

3. Man crying during national anthem

Another emotional and iconic NDP moment that resonated with many Singaporeans was when a man was spotted crying as he sang the national anthem in 2022.

The man was pictured with tears streaming down his face as he patriotically sang the national anthem, which caught the attention of then-Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

“This is turning out to be one of the iconic images of #NDP2022,” his Facebook caption read.

Source: Lawrence Wong on Facebook

As the 2022 NDP was the first large-scale celebration since the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Wong noted how “challenging” the last few years have been for many Singaporeans.

He also pointed out that the display of emotion from the tearful man demonstrated the nation’s “solidarity” during tough times.

4. Influencer becomes one of the NDP icons for BTO and Ya Kun comments

Living in a first-world country like Singapore, there are a lot of perks that the country’s residents can enjoy.

One Singaporean amused many during 2022’s NDP after host Rishi Budhrani asked her what she was grateful for.

Influencer Nicole Liel enthusiastically shouted: “I’m very grateful to HDB for giving me a BTO (Build-to-Order) queue number… and Ya Kun Kaya Toast”.

Source: @lielnicole on TikTok

As one of the most talked-about moments of that year’s NDP, her response also caught the attention of food giant Ya Kun.

Ya Kun offered the local influencer 57 cups of coffee or tea, symbolising one for each year of Singapore’s independence.

Wanting to give back to her social media followers, Nicole accepted the offer but also requested Ya Kun to supply 57 sets of the establishment’s ‘Kaya Toast Set A’ for fans to redeem.

Ya Kun agreed and Nicole later released the promotional codes for her followers to redeem the sets.

Source: @lielnicole on Instagram

As a result of Nicole’s iconic statement at the 2022 NDP, Singaporeans were given another thing to be thankful for: kaya toast.

5. Red Lion recovers after crash-landing during NDP

As one of the most anticipated NDP segments, many Singaporeans deem the Red Lions free-fall as an iconic staple during the celebrations.

However, it came as a shock to many when one Red Lion had a hard landing at the 2022 NDP.

Source: NDPeeps on YouTube

The Red Lion, Third Warrant Officer (3WO) Jeffrey Heng, had parachuted his way down onto the Marina Bay floating platform and landed with a rough tumble.

He was then stretchered off by medics.

According to The Straits Times (ST), Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said in a written parliamentary reply that 3WO Heng had assessed that his parachute canopy was unstable.

As such, he carried out a landing fall technique as per the protocol and avoided sustaining more serious injuries due to his quick actions.

Dr Ng later announced on Facebook that 3WO Heng was in stable condition.

“He will need time and some rehab, but full recovery is expected,” the caption read.

Source: Ng Eng Hen on Facebook

3WO Heng was medically fit for training by mid-April 2023, reported ST.

He was also in-charge of coordinating training for the NDP 2023 Red Lions team.

Will more NDP icons emerge this year?

With all these memorable icons, it is perhaps inevitable that the 2024 NDP will have more standout moments — especially with this year’s jam packed line-up.

Singaporeans can look forward to immersive acts such as the pre-parade segment featuring performances from skaters, gymnasts & students.

The show will also feature heartwarming short films that tell inspiring stories of everyday Singaporeans, as well as mesmerising song and dance performances from local organisations.