PRIME MINISTER Lee Hsien Loong joined over 5,000 residents at a National Day carnival for Ang Mo Kio GRC and Yio Chu Kang on Saturday morning.

He released 43 red and white helium balloons into the air to the sound of party poppers to kick off the day-long event.

Together with the other MPs for the area, Dr Balaji Sadasivan, Mr Inderjit Singh, Mr Wee Siew Kim, Ms Lee Bee Wah, Dr Lam Pin Min and Mr Seng Han Thong, Mr Lee made a wish for Singapore as he blew the candles on a birthday cake.

Mr Lee presented two cheques for $50,050 each to China's Ambassador to Singapore, Madam Zhang Xiaokang, and Singapore Red Cross chief Christopher Chua.

They were for victims of the Sichuan earthquake, and to Singapore Red Cross chief Christopher Chua for the cyclone victims in Myanmar, respectively.

The money had been raised by grassroots groups, shopkeepers and residents.

Madam Zhang later told reporters that Mr Lee had congratulated her on the successful opening of the Olympics on Friday night.

'It's a game for the world,' she said.

'This is an Olympics which the people of China have prepared for the world, from the bottom of their heart,' she said.

She also wished Singaporeans a happy National Day.

NTUC Fairprice managing director Seah Kian Peng also gave Mr Lee a cheque for $102,000 from the NTUC Fairprice Foundation, for vouchers for needy residents.

The PM distributed food packages to several needy residents, including a happy Madam Lim Twee Eng, 78, who gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek.

He also mingled with residents at some 20 food and games stalls.