Ng Eng Hen: Variety of responses expected for new NDP song

This year's National Day Parade (NDP) song, One Singapore, seems to have hit all the wrong notes so far, but Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said that with every new song, a whole "spectrum of responses" is to be expected.

Officially launched by organisers last week, the upbeat pop song has already been slammed by netizens, labelling it "childish and cheesy". Others have questioned the need to have a new song every year.

"All of us will have our favourite, so I leave you to have your own favourite," said Dr Ng on the the sidelines of the NDP National Education (NE) show on Saturday, a preview of the parade for Primary 5 pupils. Dr Ng went on a walkabout of the parade grounds, and later watched the parade with reviewing officer, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat.

When asked about the haze, Dr Ng, who chairs the Haze Inter-Ministerial Committee, said contingency plans are in place should the haze comes back.

"Let's just hope that we won't have a situation where we have to activate the contingency plans, but obviously the contingency plans are first and foremost to protect the health of the participants."

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