Funpacks for about 80 per cent of all Singaporean and permanent resident households will be produced by the National Day Parade (NDP) executive committee, after taking into account those who said they do not need one.

From prior experience, this should be adequate and people who want the packs can collect them from community centres for National Day, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said in Parliament yesterday.

Dubbed the Singapore Together Packs, the bags will also be available at residents' committee centres from July 20. Volunteers will distribute the packs to vulnerable groups, and collection is expected to end by Aug 2.

The plan to distribute funpacks to every Singaporean and permanent resident household for National Day had sparked a debate and an online petition that has garnered about 110,000 signatures so far, as some argued that the resources could be better used in other causes, especially in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr Ng said that for every NDP, the executive committee (exco) aims to be inclusive and will take in views and accommodate different interests where possible.

But he cautioned that "if every interest group pushes for its own agenda, especially during NDP, then our common ground to celebrate this national event shrinks because the exco will simply never be able to satisfy every request adequately".

Replying to Ms Cheng Li Hui (Tampines GRC), Dr Ng said the 80 per cent target is less than the usual volume, which caters to about 90 per cent to 95 per cent of Singapore households.

"Those who said they don't need one - I would like to believe they feel that we are confident enough to celebrate and to join other Singaporeans (in celebrations) without all these facilitative things," he said.

Mr Louis Ng (Nee Soon GRC) proposed consulting all households on whether they wanted a pack, to get an accurate estimate of the number of funpacks needed.

Dr Ng replied that those who lead organisations or businesses will know there is a fine line between analysis and paralysis.

The NDP exco, in a separate statement, said it had consulted various green advocacy and community groups since November last year. It also took into account public feedback received in past years for the planning of this year's funpacks.

The pack has 12 items, down from the usual 20 to 25.

The items include hand sanitisers, face masks and thermometers, as well as such celebratory items as a full-sized national flag, iron-on patches for masks and a pledge card.

There will also be red filters that can be fixed onto phone torches, for a special "light-up" segment on National Day, said the exco statement.

The bag itself is a foldable and reusable grocery bag, designed by primary school pupils or artists with disabilities.

Dr Ng said there will be no single-use water bottles, plastic clappers or packaging in the pack, as families will be at home.

Each pack will cost about $2.40 to produce, and firms will contribute other items such as snacks and drinks, he said in his reply to Non-Constituency MP Leon Perera.

The usual discount booklets will come in the form of e-booklets, Dr Ng added.

He assured the House that any extra packs will not go to waste as there will be no shortage of means to distribute them to homes or institutions.

Dr Ng said the NDP exco will facilitate requests for more packs. "For many heartlanders, these are physical touch points, commonalities... Never dismiss these symbols even though the cost is little."

Cara Wong