President Halimah Yacob presided over the National Day Parade for the last time on Wednesday, concluding her sixth parade as the head of state.
She arrived at the Padang at about 6.50pm, to applause and cheers from the spectators.
Speaking to the media after the nation’s 58th birthday bash, Madam Halimah, 68, said she felt emotional while waving to the 27,000-strong crowd.
Her eyes welled up and her voice cracked as she said: “These are emotions which you cannot control.
“The terrible sense of sadness but at the same time, a sense of inspiration when I looked around me and saw how people were standing together, celebrating as one.”
As Singapore’s eighth president, she presided over her first parade in 2018, having assumed office in September 2017.
In May 2023, she announced that she would not be seeking re-election when her term ends on Sept 13.
Asked what her top NDP moments were, Madam Halimah said it was hard to choose, but 2023’s parade is special because it is the first full-fledged parade since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Among the many exhilarating segments, light was an important motif at the NDP, as Singapore leaves the shadow of the pandemic.
Entering on foot, bicycle and a variety of boats, 2,400 performers turned the Padang into a musical extravaganza.
They kept the 27,000-strong crowd entranced during the show, which included overhead spark showers, stadium lights that pulsated to the music, illuminated props and floats, and the psychedelic floor projections that accompanied each act.
“I also hope that this motif can inspire Singaporeans to shine their light for the community,” said NDP 2023 creative director Royston Tan.
The Straits Times
