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AsiaOne
26-07-2025
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
This father-son duo shares a parade ground at NDP 2025 — and a 'mini RSAF' of parrots at home, Lifestyle News
Singapore will be turning 60 on Aug 9, 2025 — so we can expect nothing less than a big, big birthday bash. This year's National Day Parade at the Padang won't just be big on spectacle, it'll be straight-up massive. The Parade and Ceremony (P&C) segment alone will feature a record-breaking 40 marching contingents, around 2,100 participants, and history-making moments: the SCDF's first-ever Guard of Honour (GOH), the SAF Volunteer Corps' first full marching contingent, and enough precision footwork to make any drill sergeant proud. Amid all the pomp, pageantry and parade polish, we found a quieter, quirkier story that stands out — one that's about protocol, people and... parrots? Marching side by side in the GOH contingent from the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) are 48-year-old ME5 Jesper Quek Chin Peng (the GOH Contingent Commander for the DIS), and his son, 20-year-old ME4A Timothy Quek Jun Yu (an NDP first-timer in the same contingent). Not only is the pair serving Singapore together, the two also share command of an unexpected "unit" at home: 12 parrots they affectionately call their "mini RSAF". ME5 Jesper worked in the private sector for about 12 years before joining the DIS in 2022. Prior to that, he was a regular in the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) for 10 years. ME4A Timothy has just started his journey as a Military Intelligence Expert in the DIS. We talk (and squawk) with the pair about discipline, who has the sharper march, and — with all the intensive NDP training — how their feathered friends even get any airtime with them! What's it like stepping onto the Padang together this year — not just as soldiers, but as father and son? ME5 Jesper: When [Timothy] was younger, we would watch the NDP together every year, but we didn't really think that we would one day be marching together at the Padang itself. ME4A Timothy: I'm very excited to be able to march at my first NDP together with my father. He's usually soft spoken. Now marching together and seeing him talking to the other GOH — it's cool to see my dad stepping up and being more open. On the parade ground, it's not just about being father-and-son but also about representing DIS. When you're not out there doing drills, what do you do to chill? ME4A Timothy: One of the main things we do together is take care of our parrots. We have quite a few at home — 12, in fact — and we bring them out for sunlight regularly. ME5 Jesper: They need a certain amount of time under the sun, so we'll bring them out at the same time. We spray them with water because that's how they "shower". Wait, what? Please explain how your living room became a parrot party. ME4A Timothy: We started with one parrot. Then, of course, we wanted to get another as a companion. Then we ended up adopting another parrot. We took over from another owner who was relocating. It led to us buying and adopting a few more birds. ME5 Jesper: Our mini "air force" at home. We know your friends are feathered — but have they given you any, um, hairy experiences? ME4A Timothy: Oh yes. One of our first parrots is quite cheeky. There was a time we left the window open — we didn't think he'd fly out, but he did. It took us almost four hours to find him. At one point, we spotted him on the ledge of a nearby building, just squawking loudly. We tried to calm him down, but I think he was scared. Eventually, my dad found him inside someone else's flat — stealing fruit! But when my dad called his name, he just walked over and jumped onto his hand. Very lucky! What was NDP training like? Any sunburns? Any drama? ME4A Timothy: Training started around end-April. The most challenging aspect was transitioning from an air-con office to standing under the hot sun for long hours! In the first few sessions, the hardest part was adapting to the heat. According to my dad, he said that, compared to last year, there's been less rain this time. ME5 Jesper: Even though I marched last year, your body still needs time to recondition each time. And every year's layout and ground set-up are different, so we have to adapt. Be honest — who's got the sharper march? ME4A Timothy: I will give it to him. When I started marching, other trainers corrected my arm swing quite a lot. Among other things, I had difficulty locking my elbow. When my dad marches, his arm is so straight! ME5 Jesper: I went through the same journey last year. The trainers will correct everyone — including the contingent commander. What's the one moment during NDP that always gives you the feels? ME4A Timothy: That proud moment when you can stand on the Padang ground, looking at the spectators all around you. Yeah. That is the moment! You won't get that feeling if you don't march in a contingent. ME5 Jesper: For me, I believe it's about the journey. All those hours of standing under the hot sun, all the effort, sweat, everything — all the training is just for that one NDP on the actual day. NDP training isn't exactly a walk in the park. What have you had to give up to be part of it? ME4A Timothy: My Saturday time! Which has been used for training. So I don't get to spend time with my mum, my sister, my brother. And during training on weekdays, I reach home around 9pm-plus. I usually just grab a bite, shower, then rest for the next day. ME5 Jesper: Same here. Like what Timothy mentioned, it's [a loss of] family time. On non-training days, I have to go back to the office to clear some emails. With all that marching, when do the parrots even get their, ahem, airtime? ME4A Timothy: We only get to bring them out on Sundays or public holidays now. That's when most of us are free. ME5 Jesper: Sometimes we use a cart, or we just carry them on our shoulders or hands. When it's nearby, like just downstairs, we can manage all 12. Last question — what does this year's NDP theme, "Majulah Singapore", mean to you? ME4A Timothy: It means continuing the legacy. Knowing the hardships the pioneer generations went through to get us to SG60 — and how my generation needs to step up and keep Singapore moving forward. ME5 Jesper: It's about unity. Not just about the parade, but how every Singaporean from different walks of life, come together to celebrate SG60. [[nid:720274]] This article was first published in .
The Star
22-07-2025
- The Star
Kuching in 36 hours: Good food, chill vibes and budget-friendly
There are a few cities with laid back vibes in Malaysia but none more so than Kuching, Sarawak. The city looks a little bit like Penang's George Town but with a river running through the middle. It also has a bit of an Ipoh Old Town (in Perak) atmosphere, minus the colourful umbrellas and fancy laneways. And just like the two heritage cities, Kuching too has numerous large-scale murals strategically located for maximum visibility. However, unlike George Town and Ipoh, the murals in Kuching don't define the city, they merely act as helpful landmarks for tourists. 'Didn't I walk past this artwork 20 minutes ago?', you might find yourself asking when exploring Kuching on foot. One of the famous cat statues in Kuching. — Photos: MELODY L. GOH/The Star The heart of the city is pedestrian-friendly; even on bigger roads like Padungan, Ban Hock and Tabuan, it's still pretty safe to walk on either side. However, there is a lot of ground to cover, if you wish to go beyond the tourist areas, that is. Kuching may only feel like a small city at first, possibly because it doesn't have as many skyscrapers as most other state capitals in Malaysia (which is a good thing!), but in reality it is double the size of Kuala Lumpur. For first-time visitors, two to three nights is enough to cover main attractions like the Borneo Cultures Museum, Kuching Waterfront, Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, Fort Margherita, DBKU Cat Museum, Sarawak Museum, Carpenter Street and the newly reopened St Peter's Catholic Church. If you want to include Bako National Park, Kubah National Park, Gunung Santubong or Kampung Budaya Sarawak in your itinerary, add an extra day or two to your trip. Mee kolok is a favourite with locals and visitors in Sarawak. For foodies, Kuching is definitely a must-visit as a good variety of local and native cuisines can be easily found here. Start with Carpenter Street, a touristy area but with lots of coffee shops and a food court selling mostly Chinese fare. Think mee kolok, Sarawak laksa, kueh chap, mee tomato and the like. On Padungan Road you will find more variety, as well as few Western-style cafes. Look for the restaurants selling Bidayuh food (there are couple here), and a coffee shop that sells 'traditional buns'. These are fluffy buns with either sweet or savoury fillings that are baked daily. The Kuching Waterfront is where you should go to look for Sarawak's popular kek lapis. There's a famous shop selling the cakes in many, many flavours – and colours – but if you want one with the 'original' flavour and colour, check with the sidewalk vendors instead. There are tons of shops selling souvenirs here too. Even though this is typically a tourist-heavy spot, the souvenirs sold in this area are actually pretty cheap. We recommend getting some woven bags, traditional beaded jewellery and cloths with traditional Sarawak motifs. If you skip this area, you can still get your souvenirs at the airport, albeit at a much higher price. One of the murals covering the facade of a building. While exploring Kuching, you can also play 'cat statue bingo'. The city is famous for its cat statues – officially there are three, but some businesses have erected smaller ones outside their shops – located in different areas but close enough for one to find all of them on foot. One section on Padungan Road is also decorated with street lights shaped like cats. Recently, digital travel platform Agoda released a list of the most 'budget-friendly summer destinations in Asia', and Kuching is ranked sixth out of nine. It is the only Malaysian spot on the list. According to the survey, Surabaya in Indonesia is the most affordable destination this season with an average room rate of RM150.30 per night. Known for its rich history and culture, Sura-baya is the gateway to Indonesia's other attractions, Gunung Bromo and Madura Island. This is followed by Tirupati in India (RM158.90), Hat Yai in Thailand (RM167.50), Dalat in Vietnam (RM193.30) and Iloilo in the Philippines (RM201.90). Kuching's average room rate per night sits at RM227.65, which is a great price for a city with so much to offer. The last three destinations on the list are Nagoya in Japan and Kaohsiung in Taiwan (both at RM386.55), and Daejeon in South Korea (RM399.45). The survey was based on bookings made for the period of June to August 2025, typically known in the travel industry as the 'summer' period, even if some of us don't actually experience the four seasons ... To create the list, Agoda analysed the average room rates of the top destinations across nine markets in Asia based on accommodation bookings. Bookings made between March and May for the stay period of between June 1 and Aug 31 were included in the survey. The newly renovated St Peter's Catholic Church was officially reopened on June 29.
AsiaOne
12-06-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
SG60 NDP to see largest number of marching contingents at Padang in over 30 years, Singapore News
This year's National Day Parade (NDP) marks 60 years since Singapore gained independence and will feature 40 marching contingents — the largest number for a parade in the Padang since 1990, where there were 70. NDP 2025 parade and ceremony chairman, Colonel Lim Yu Sing said this during a media event at the National Gallery on Thursday (June 12). The parade and ceremony segment, led by parade commander Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Firdaus Ghazali, will comprise about 2,100 participants from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds, including 18 civilian contingents, he added. Also speaking to media at the National Gallery, LTC Firdaus said that being a parade commander had always been his childhood dream. While participating in NDP 2002 as a performer, he remembered catching a glimpse of the parade and ceremony segment during rehearsals. "I developed a deep appreciation for parades and their significance as the heart and core of our NDPs," he said. This parade also represents the first time the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) is participating with a Guard of Honour (GOH) contingent, alongside the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Singapore Police Force (SPF). Deputy Commissioner (Operations and Resilience) Ling Young Ern stated that the SCDF had received feedback from members of the public suggesting it should be included as part of the GOH contingent as it is "one of the three uniformed services safeguarding the safety and security of the nation". Upon review, the Ministry of Defence and SCDF agreed that it would be "very fitting" for SCDF to be included in the GOH contingent at this year's NDP to celebrate Singapore's 60th year of independence, he added. Additionally, this year's parade will also see the inaugural participation of a full Singapore Armed Forces Volunteer Corps' (SAFVC) contingent as it celebrates its 10th anniversary. Row A contingent commander and SAFVC volunteer Arlene Pang likened her 10-year stint in the Corps to advancing from Primary to Secondary school. "I feel like I've grown up with the SAFVC as a volunteer, and at the same time, the SAFVC has grown up with me," she said. "I've seen how different leaders have come in to bring SAFVC to the next level and to make it what it is today." Public uncasing ceremony for SAF Colours This year, the annual SAF Colours uncasing ceremony, taking place in Marina Square, will be open to members of the public before the National Day parade and ceremony. Moreover, spectators at the Padang will get to watch the 127-member live choir up close. Formed by Greendale Secondary School students and singers from arts group Voices of Singapore, the choir will perform NDP 2021's theme song, The Road Ahead, on elevated platforms positioned near the seating galleries. They will be accompanied by a 100-piece band comprising members from the SAF, SPF, Singapore National Cadet Corps Command, and National Police Cadet Corps Bands. As part of the evening's proceedings, members of the 10 uniformed youth organisations at the parade will form the words "Majulah 60" — a nod to NDP 2025's theme Majulah Singapura and the nation's birthday — during the state flag flypast. This will occur just after the President's arrival at the Padang. Those without tickets to the parade at the Padang need not feel left out. Members of the public will still be able to witness the four 25-pounder guns at Marina Bay, which will sail around the bay on the SAF's Mobility 3rd Generation rafts, coming close to The Promontory @ Marina Bay. The parade and ceremony will conclude with the onward march, where contingents from the SAF, Home Team and uniformed youth organisations will march through the spectator stands as they exit the Padang. [[nid:718877]]
