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NDP 2008

National Day is around the corner; it is just slightly a month more to the nation's greatest parade: the National Day Parade.

Thousands of Singaporeans have swamped the online application portal for the NDP tickets the month before and hundreds more Singaporeans are sacrificing their weeks since months ago, rehearsing and honing their crafts as participants of the parade.

Singaporeans are especially exuberant, exhilarated on National Day, celebrating the nation's birthday as one people and one nation.

It is surprising that at this time this year, I have not heard of this year's National Day songs.

From my observation, the number of Singaporeans displaying the national flags outside their flats have waned with time. Now it is usually the efforts of the town councils and grassroots leaders who prop up the facade of the HDB blocks during National Days with diverse arrays of the Singapore flag bound in different designs.

Singaporeans are also fans of the stunning fireworks display on that magical night.

Fireworks, parades, celebrations, fun, laughter, holidays, joy aside, the overriding question is whether Singaporeans are really celebrating the country's birthday from the bottom of their hearts? Are they proud to be Singaporeans? Do they share in the identity of being Singaporeans and do they really love Singapore?
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