By Kenny Chee

THIRTY seconds was all it took.

For business analyst Rachael Lee and her parents, it was only natural to recite the National Pledge at 8.22pm on Sunday as they watched the National Day Parade (NDP) on TV in their five-room flat in Hougang.

"It was fun and moving since I haven't said the pledge in a while, and other Singaporeans here and all over the world were also participating," Ms Lee, 26, told my paper.

Aside from the 27,000 spectators at the Marina Bay Floating Platform, Singaporeans at about 700 locations here also heeded the call.

Venues ranged from food outlets and shopping malls to scout camps and MRT stations.

The pledge-taking was a very special gesture by many Singaporeans as they paused in unison to observe the moment.

At the McDonald's outlet in East Coast Park, for instance, 100 customers and staff recited the pledge together with McDonald's mascot Ronald McDonald.

They cheered with flags in hand, overwhelmed with joy and national pride.

They joined people at more than 100 other McDonald's outlets across the island.

Over at the Toa Payoh HDB Hub, more than 100 NTUC FairPrice staff and members of the public recited the pledge while watching the parade live on an SPH MediaBoxOffice screen.

Singaporeans living abroad in countries like East Timor and Mongolia also reaffirmed their promise to the nation.

Shipping officer Chua Chin Hock, 24, was one spectator at the floating platform who was touched by the unified action.

"I felt I was saying the pledge from my heart," he said.

"It was made more meaningful as the theme of this year's NDP is the pledge."

kennyc@sph.com.sg

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