As members of the SJI Military Band, we were proud to represent our School in the National Day Parade at the Padang. I did not think much of Nationhood at that time but it was grand to be at the Padang at 9 am when the President arrived and kicked off the Parade and Ceremony section. I can still recollect the review by the President in the Ceremonial Land Rover. Imagine my thrill when as NDP Parade Commander in 1994, I had that honour to escort the President for the review in the Ceremonial Land Rover some 27 years later.

It was in the following year, 1968 when it dawned upon me and many of my friends that NDP was a show of commitment and dedication to building a resilient and steadfast Nation. As we stood in the heavy downpour, which started after we had formed up, we did not flinch or disperse to seek shelter. We felt that people were watching and we were determined to persevere and not be beaten, just like the young Nation we were building. Standing fast and proud, and shivering in the cold wet rain, we overcame. The rain slowed down and everyone wanted the march past to begin so that we could move and warm up.

It was a memorable day, as we marched past the City Hall steps, we were beaming with pride and we could see the faces of our leaders just as proud of us. You had to be there, it was just indescribable. When we marched through the streets people cheered and we played our military tunes with even more gusto with our SJI Cadet Corps contingent marching just as proudly when we played the Josephian March.

In 1969 as a 16 year old, NDP was like a test for the Nation. We were coming out of a dark period of communal riots. However, as school boys we were brought up reciting the Pledge every morning and believed that Singapore was for everyone, especially coming from a Minority group. When school resumed and later when NDP rehearsals started, we were more concerned whether our school friends suffered adversely during the May Riots.

However, when we participated in the NDP rehearsals and finally NDP itself on August 9th, it looked as though the May 13th Riots had not taken place. The celebration of the Nation’s Birthday went smoothly as in the earlier years and the pride and ‘hair stand’ moments were all there for those on Parade. It is truly a bonding moment when you stand on the grass at the Padang and the National Anthem is playing when we salute the President. The march through the streets was well received by all Singaporeans regardless of their race or religion or what has just transpired less than three months earlier.

In 1970 and 1971, SJI and St Patrick’s School Bands combined to form a contingent for these last two years that I represented my ‘Alma Mater’. There was much rivalry between our two bands and the training that we had together, including the discipline of the bands, was horrendous with petty squabbles and sometimes fist fights. We used to poke fun at each other during the form up.

However, once we marched onto the Padang, a different sense of oneness overcame our differences. Collectively we became a single entity, a combined Catholic School Military Band proud to the hilt being able to represent our schools at NDP and march down Connaught Drive in front of City Hall and our President. It impressed upon me that we are of many different groups, in our case different bands, each having its own identity and pride. However, when thrown together, we quickly form partnerships to give a grand performance.

Those were happy days that I cherish as a school boy through my teens and pre-University days participating in NDP, those early waking up hours to get to the schools by 5 am, in the later years even staying overnight in the school. Preparing our uniforms so that we can stand proudly in our best turnout to represent our school in the National Day Parade at the Padang. The march past the City Hall and its ‘hair standing’ moments as well as the satisfaction of marching down those streets kilometer after kilometer through cheering crowds of Singaporeans.

I believe much time is spent when you participate in NDP. However, unless you have been there and done that, you will not experience the pride of being a participant and being a Singaporean in NDP. It is just indescribable and can only been experienced through first-hand experience.