SINGAPORE – Since 2012, Ms Angelynn Tan Huifang has flown the Sembcorp flag at six National Day Parades (NDPs), sacrificing time with her family in order to rehearse in the lead-up to each parade.
This year is extra special for the 43-year-old head of procurement at SembWaste, the company’s waste management business. With her encouragement, her husband, Mr Donny Chia Tong Khiaw, 45, who is in his third year at port operator PSA International, is also taking part in the parade.
Representing their respective companies on Aug 9 while standing just two contingents apart, the couple, who have two sons, aged 14 and 17, are among several volunteers taking part in the parade and ceremony named United We Stand.
The segment will feature 35 marching contingents and more than 2,100 participants.
Speaking to The Straits Times at a media event on July 6, Ms Tan said that a few days after her company asked for volunteers in March for the 2024 parade, Mr Chia’s company also looked for participants.
“I asked him to join so that he will know what I have been doing,” she said.
With the couple required to sacrifice more than 10 Saturdays in order to attend rehearsals, Ms Tan said they sought and received the blessings of their elder son before agreeing to both sign up.
For Mr Chia, a gate operations supervisor, NDP 2024 is an opportunity for him to relive his time as an army regular when he participated in various parades, including being part of the presidential lance guard in 2005 – his most memorable parade experience thus far.
Ms Tan said her husband’s prior experience is helping him cope with the rigours of his role in 2024.
“The marching to him is not that challenging because he is an ex-regular. So it’s more the banner drill that is the challenging part that he needs to be familiar with,” she said.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) contingent will include Lance Corporal Noor Arfand Noor Azlan, 21, a full-time national serviceman (NSF).
His father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all in the SCDF – or Singapore Fire Brigade as it was previously known – but did not participate in an NDP while in the force.
“I feel like this is an opportunity for me to represent my family in this respect,” said LCP Arfand, adding that he did not hesitate to volunteer to be part of the 2024 parade.
Needing to sacrifice several Saturdays, he said his family members support him by making adjustments so that he can go for rehearsals.
For example, they moved their regular family lunches from Saturday to Sunday.