Contingency plans to protect NDP participants if haze returns

There are contingency plans in place for the National Day Parade (NDP) if the haze returns.

Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said the organisers were watching the hot spots in Indonesia, and the plans would protect the participants' health.

He was speaking on Saturday on the sidelines of the NDP National Education show, a preview of the parade for Primary 5 pupils.

On this year's NDP song, One Singapore, he said that with every new song, a whole "spectrum of responses" is to be expected.

Officially launched by organisers last week, the upbeat pop song has already been slammed by netizens as "childish and cheesy".

"All of us will have our favourite, so I leave you to have your own favourite," said Dr Ng on the the sidelines of the NDP National Education (NE) show on Saturday, a preview of the parade for Primary 5 pupils. Dr Ng went on a walkabout of the parade grounds, and later watched the parade with reviewing officer, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat.

When asked about the haze, Dr Ng, who chairs the Haze Inter-Ministerial Committee, said contingency plans are in place should the haze comes back.

"Let's just hope that we won't have a situation where we have to activate the contingency plans, but obviously the contingency plans are first and foremost to protect the health of the participants."