On Wednesday (20 July 2021), I filed a question for the Minister for Defence to ask what the reasons are for allowing the National Day Parade (NDP) to proceed in the midst of Phase 2 (Heightened Alert). During this quasi-lockdown from 22 July to 18 August 2021, almost all non-essential activities are being restricted to groups of only two persons. Some, like dining out and working out in the gym, are completely prohibited during this time.
COVID-19 frontliners and essential workers are expected to be invited to watch the NDP in person at the Marina Bay Floating Platform. I asked whether the parade will increase the risk of the spread of infection to them. After the parade, most of them will continue to be in frequent contact with members of the public. While we greatly appreciate our frontliners and essential workers, and would like to honour them, we should not unnecessarily expose them to the risk of being infected during such a large gathering of people.
While we all look forward to NDP, I think it may be more prudent to wait until the infection rates come down so that we can have a safe celebration of our nation’s independence day. I understand that this evening (22 July), the Government announced its decision to postpone NDP until 21 August. This is a good move, although it too should be contingent on the COVID-19 risk levels coming down significantly by then.
Question for the Parliamentary sitting on or after 2 August 2021:
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Defence (a) what are the reasons for allowing the National Day Parade (NDP) to proceed in the midst of Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) from 22 July to 18 August 2021; and (b) whether the event will increase the risk of the spread of infection to COVID-19 frontliners and essential workers invited to watch the NDP in person and who will thereafter be in frequent contact with members of the public.
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