‘Not easy coming back from that’: 2015 Sabah quake survivor joins NDP 2023 Total Defence Parade
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Third Sergeant Arnaav Karan Chabria wants to spread a message of resilience to the thousands of people tuning in for the parade.
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
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SINGAPORE – He was only 11 years old when a 6.0-magnitude quake struck Sabah, Malaysia, on June 5, 2015, leaving him with multiple injuries, including a broken collarbone and shoulder.
Third Sergeant Arnaav Karan Chabria was one of 29 pupils from Tanjong Katong Primary School who were attending a leadership camp there at the time.
The earthquake killed seven of them, along with two teachers and a Singaporean adventure guide. The total death toll was 18.
Now 19 years old, he said on Saturday: “Psychologically and mentally, it was quite difficult coming out of that, having experienced the trauma of losing friends and teachers.
“It was definitely not easy coming back from that. I hope that through this (being part of the National Day Parade), I’m able to encourage people.”
Come Aug 9, audiences at the Padang and at home will see the full-time national serviceman wearing a Singa the Kindness Lion costume atop one of the floats during the Total Defence segment of the National Day Parade (NDP).
His float represents psychological defence, and the combat engineer said he wants to spread a message of resilience to the thousands of people tuning in for the parade.
Unlike previous parades, which featured assets from only the Singapore Armed Forces, Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force in the drive-past, the Total Defence parade will also incorporate six large floats, representing the different pillars of Total Defence.
The one that represents psychological defence is made to look like a biscuit tin storing a grandmother’s treasured items.
Singa the Kindness Lion - brought to life by Third Sargeant Arnaay Karan Chabria - atop the float representing psychological defence.
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Meanwhile, the other floats representing the remaining five pillars – military, civil, economic, social and digital – will be modelled after other everyday objects.
Two films will be screened at the beginning and end of the segment. They tell the story of a teenage boy using six everyday items to explain the pillars of Total Defence to his family.
The Total Defence parade will involve 650 participants.
Other components during the segment include the unfurling of a Total Defence flag, as well as a tribute to all those who have contributed to Total Defence over the past 58 years.
One of the participants involved in the unfurling of the flag is Military Expert 1 Aaron Lim.
The 25-year-old’s sister, Military Expert 1 Sherry Lim, 23, is also part of the segment as one of four servicemen standing atop the float representing military defence.
The siblings are underwater combat medics, and while rehearsals have been tiring, they are continually spurred on by each other’s support.
Military Expert 1 Sherry Lim (left) and Military Expert 1 Aaron Lim are siblings who are taking part in different aspects of the NDP Total Defence Parade segment.
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
“Before every rehearsal... you need to be in the right mental space, and we always check in with each other,” said ME1 Aaron Lim.
Recounting her most memorable experience so far, ME1 Sherry Lim said she found it extremely precious when children in the stands during rehearsals waved and smiled as the floats passed by.
Her brother said: “That interaction with the public is quite important to inspire the next generation to take on their role in being part of Singapore’s defence.”
These interactions also help the public understand the servicemen’s commitment to defence, said Captain Gin Tan, who is in the organising secretariat of the Total Defence parade. Her role is to help out in the conceptualisation, planning and execution of the segment.
The 26-year-old said: “We wanted to take on a more comprehensive view of Total Defence to focus a bit more on the softer aspects – things that people don’t usually see, because I think the focus is mainly on military and civil defence.
Captain Gin Tan, 26, is the organising secretariat for the NDP 2023 Total Defence Parade segment.
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
“But we also wanted to stress the importance of the other pillars... because in today’s challenging times, it’s ever more important that we lend emphasis on all six.”
She added: “Just like how the pillars of a building bear (its) weight, every pillar of Total Defence is equally important.”
When asked what she looked forward to most on Aug 9, she said she was excited to see clips of the segment being put up online.
“I think for many of our servicemen, the work they do is behind the scenes. They don’t get to see the show happen.
“The 12 minutes that you see on parade represent hours behind the scenes. I’m looking forward to seeing all this go online... so that our servicemen can view them and share them with their loved ones,” said Capt Tan.
