NDP Bird Boy: Scolded by school, embraced by netizens

One innocent-looking boy stole the show over the flashy fireworks, festivities and fanfare that a dedicated executive committee and countless volunteers put together as part of the highly anticipated National Day Parade (NDP) 2017 yesterday. And he did so by simply raising one middle finger.

The boy who made news as the “highlight of the night” has been identified as a Henry Park Primary School pupil and is reportedly “deeply apologetic” for his actions. The school principal told a local daily that the boy has been counselled, while a photo of the boy being reprimanded has also gone viral.

While some online have called the boy rude and his gesture inappropriate, the majority of netizens have embraced the boy, with one Singaporean even commenting that the boy “speaks for many of us.”

Some imaginative netizens also linked the young boy to prominent public figures and socio-political issues:

Netizens were also skeptical about whether a boy of that age is able to feel apologetic without being forced to.

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time a child has flashed a middle finger during an NDP telecast. Just last year, this happened: